Burn For Me
by starcanopus
Summary: Rebekah/OC — Rebekah Mikaelson has experienced lifetimes of heartbreak and suffering. Literally. So when she meets Sebastian Salvatore and falls in love all over again, she expects nothing more than the usual short romance and ultimate heartbreak at the hands of her controlling brother. Fortunately, fate is a funny little thing, and things don't exactly go as expected.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** **Rebekah Mikaelson has experienced lifetimes of heartbreak and suffering. Literally. So when she meets Sebastian Salvatore and falls in love all over again, she expects nothing more than the usual short romance and ultimate heartbreak at the hands of her controlling brother. Fortunately, fate is a funny little thing, and things don't exactly go as expected.**

 **Set starting from 3x14: Dangerous Liaisons**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC and maybe a few other characters later on in the story. All rights go to their respective owners. Rating will probably change in the future.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Burn For Me

 **※**

 _Set a fire_

 _Down in my soul_

 _That I can't contain_

 _That I can't control_

 **※**

 **Mystic Falls, Virginia** **–** **Salvatore Boarding House**

Elena shut the heavy volume of old pictures that she had chosen from the bookshelf in Stefan's room. Her lips twitched and she patted the cover of the book fondly. It was heartwarming in a strange sense to see Damon and Stefan's past lives laid out in photographs. The two brothers knew so much about her, yet their lives were shrouded in a cloud of mystery that she had yet to unravel and decipher. Standing up, Elena glanced at the old book one last time before sliding it into place on the bookshelf where she had found it from. Just before she turned away, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. The photo albums on the shelf all had the same types of worn covers and bindings, with just the right amount of dust settled on the spines and pages. However, there was one book...that was out of place and stood apart from all the others, obviously older than the rest. Stepping curiously towards it, Elena reached out a hand and slipped it out gently from where it stood. She coughed and waved away the dust that flew into the air from the disturbance, and brought it with her to her seat.

"1840 to 1860..." Elena murmured, dusting off the spine to read the faded numbers. Her eyebrows furrowed and she flipped the front cover open. "So this was started before Stefan was born..."

The first image she was greeted with was a very small dark-haired boy who could only be Damon. She smiled softly at his joyful look as he was pointing to something, and his mother holding him kneeling, a hand placed gently over her pregnant stomach. Wait. Pregnant? Elena stared in confusion at the photograph and caption. Stefan had been born in 1846...which meant there was no possible way the baby Damon's mother was carrying in the photo was him. She flipped to the next page, trying to get a sense of what was going on. She obtained her answer in the last photograph on the second page, where Damon's mother was holding a tiny bundle, smiling radiantly, and the caption below read: _Sebastian is born, November 19th, 1842._

"Sebastian?" Elena wondered aloud, perplexed.

"I see you found our family albums."

Elena whipped her head around guiltily to see Damon standing against the entrance to Stefan's room. As he stepped into the room, Elena noticed his strangely regretful look, an expression that looked out-of-place on his usually cocky and sure face.

"Damon...who is Sebastian?" Elena asked carefully, rising from her place. Damon shook his head, placing a hand on her shoulder, and pushing her gently back down, as he sank down next to her. He took the album from her hands and gazed down at the photograph.

"Sebastian is, _was_ , my little brother." He touched the faded photo of the tiny bundle, smiling to himself.

Elena reeled backwards in shock; she had had an inkling of who the bundle was, but Damon's confirmation only made it that much clearer. There had been a third brother, one that she had no idea existed, something she had been unaware of all this time. She glanced down as Damon flipped towards the end of the album, landing on a page with three dark-haired figures. She could recognize Damon and Stefan, and standing between them, with his arms thrown around their shoulders, was a breathtakingly handsome young man with a carefree smile.

"He was closer to me than Stefan ever was, and I suppose he was closer to Stefan that I ever was...or am."

"How come you or Stefan never spoke of him?" Elena replied.

Damon looked up from the album. "It's a painful subject, Elena. It reminds us of everything we did wrong, all our fighting. That's what ultimately drove him away, you know. Our fighting. He had a heart so big that he could love everything. He hated violence in any form. He was the gentlest of us Salvatores. And we broke that damn gentle heart of his."

"So what happened to him?" Elena rested her head on her hand, elbow propped up on the back of the couch.

"He died." Damon shut the book with a snap and rose to return it to where it had been sitting on the shelf. "In 1862, he traveled to Louisiana for an opportunity to advance his education, though I know he just needed to get away from home for a while. He wanted to be a doctor, like Stefan, but a month after he arrived, he was murdered in an alleyway. A gunshot wound straight through his head. They said he had been trying to save a woman from a group of thieves."

Elena stared at him in horror, a hand resting gently over her mouth.

"They never found the killer," Damon continued. "And our father very nearly lost it when he found out. Sebastian was his favorite son. He was perfect, did everything right, and so our father was convinced it was our faults that he lost his favorite son. He forgot that Sebastian was _our_ brother, and we loved him, so much."

"What did you mean by your fighting driving him away? What were you fighting –" Elena stopped mid-sentence, as the realization came to her. "Katherine."

Damon nodded and chuckled slightly. "He hated Katherine so much. And he was the only one Katherine couldn't get. After all, and I would much rather rip out my intestines that admit it, but Sebastian _was_ the better looking one out of the three of us, the bastard."

Damon paused, before grumbling under his breath, "Not like he knew how to use any of that Salvatore charm."

"It's amusing now that I think of it," he continued, "of how she tried so desperately but ultimately gave up, settling for Stefan and me in the end, I guess. Sebastian warned us about her, and kept trying to get us to stop fighting long enough to see what this was doing to us. A few months after the fighting got worse, he began to change. He became more withdrawn, didn't eat as much, would steer clear of whenever Stefan and I were together."

"Damon." Elena and Damon looked up to see Stefan standing in the doorway. He shook his head and said, "That's enough. Come on. We need to discuss how we're going to deal with the Originals...all of them."

Elena stood up, "Stefan, Damon was just telling me abou–"

" _I said that's enough_." Stefan hissed. Elena stepped back, stunned at his outburst, and was somewhat relieved when she felt Damon's hands on her arms as he replied, "Stefan. It was going to come up sooner or later."

"You," Stefan pointed at Damon. " _You_ don't get to talk to me about Sebastian."

"And you do? What's this? Even with your fucked up humanity switch, this is the one topic that gets you to _pretend_ to care? Once you get your mind around how you are part of the reason of why he's gone, _maybe_ then we can talk about him again."

Stefan closed his eyes once and opened them again. "We're not talking about this right now." He turned and disappeared from the entrance.

Elena nodded slowly, glancing at Damon who raised his eyebrows but didn't say a word.

"Let's go then."

 **※**

 **Cleveland, Ohio**

The ringing phone thrown from across the room would have shattered against the wall if a pale hand hadn't reached out and plucked it from its path.

"Bloody hell, Veronica. That's my third phone this month," Sebastian lifted his head from the human he was feeding from and sighed at his partner-in-crime. "Go find other things to try and break or something!"

"I have a massive headache. How can vampires get headaches, Sebastian? Answer me that," Veronica groaned, lifting her head from its current miserable place on the bar counter. "Also your phone is pure crap. I'd be doing you a favor if it broke."

"It's still a pain to replace. And about your headache, oh, I don't know, it might have something to do with you drinking the whole bar. You _must_ have been an alcoholic when you were human, don't even try to deny it." Sebastian rolled his eyes and flicked a finger at a compelled human standing off to the side, who began walking towards Veronica. "Feed or something. Goodness knows you need to get that alcohol out of your system."

Veronica smiled warmly at her friend. "You take such good care of me, Seb. And you know I love you for that."

Sebastian hummed. "Sure."

He gazed fondly at the vampire he had turned years ago. She was most definitely his favorite, and she had always been unquestionably loyal to him for decades. They had roamed the earth together and in this modern era, there were endless things to do with his best friend, despite the fact that she was about as slippery as a snake and as cunning as a fox. He had had to spend many years shaping her into a vampire who wouldn't go off on mischievous killing sprees at the first mention of blood.

The phone began to ring sharply again and Veronica let out what seemed to be a real sob. "Make it stop! Oh, my head! Come here, human."

Sebastian rolled his eyes but flipped open the phone. "Sebastian speaking."

"Hello, Sebastian."

He straightened, pushing the human away gently. He could recognize that voice anywhere. "Elijah Mikaelson."

Veronica's head shot up from where she was feeding from and gaped in shock. She mouthed, "You know Elijah Mikaelson?"

"It's been far too long, old friend."

Sebastian stared down at the ground, inspecting the tiles. "Indeed it has. What brings you to call? You wouldn't call if it wasn't important."

"Quite right. Unfortunately, a lot has happened since last we met." Elijah paused for a long moment. "For one thing, another doppelgänger has been found."

Sebastian straightened in shock. "That's impossible. They died off with Katherine."

"That is what I thought as well." Elijah continued. "But I confirmed it myself. She very much exists. And she is human...protected by Damon and Stefan Salvatore."

Sebastian's head snapped up. "They're working together?"

"It seems so."

"Do they never learn?" He seethed, beginning to pace back and forth. "It's history repeating itself all over again."

Elijah sighed over the phone. "Apparently not. However, surprisingly, she is not the reason I am calling. I am calling because my family is together again. All of us."

Sebastian grinned, his anger momentarily forgotten. "That's fantastic, Elijah! I should send you a congratulations card or something."

"No...uh...no need for that. But there is one favor I would very much appreciate."

"Name it."

"I know it's a lot to ask of you, and if you say no I completely understand." Elijah continued carefully, "My family is throwing a ball soon, and we have invited the whole town. As in, including the doppelgänger, Damon, and Stefan. And with Niklaus, Kol, and Rebekah in attendance, I cannot guarantee something will not happen. I would rest easy knowing some sort of safety measure could be present."

Sebastian paused. "You wouldn't call me just for that, Elijah. You're an Original, as are your siblings. If anything happens, you know you could just compel the whole town."

There was a long silence before Elijah sighed.

"You're right. I admit...it's been too long since I've last seen you, and I thought I might be able to convince you to return to your home. It would be nice to catch up again. In person. You've been skirting this scenario for decades, Sebastian. Don't you think it's time to reveal your existence?"

"So you miss me." Sebastian grinned, inspecting his fingernails. "That's the whole reason for this. You want to introduce me to your family too, is that right, my love?"

"Sebastian, please." He could almost hear Elijah Mikaelson rolling his eyes over the phone. "Your presence wouldn't just help me out at the ball. Perhaps my family could come to some sort of agreement with the doppelgänger and her bodyguards to cease this seemingly endless fighting between my family and them."

Sebastian looked up, sighing. Oh, how he did _loathe_ fighting.

"I suppose my life has been getting quite boring."

Veronica snorted from across the room. "My dear Sebastian, your life has been boring the moment you turned into a vampire. You are a pathetic excuse for a vampire, if I do say so myself and I _do..._ say so myself. Have you even killed a human before?"

"Shut _up_." Sebastian smiled dangerously at his friend.

Elijah asked, "So can I count on you being here, then?"

Sebastian thought about it for two heartbeats. "Of course. Anything for an old friend."

"Thank you, Sebastian. I owe you one."

"Yes, you do."

Veronica sped over to Sebastian as he hung up the phone. "So..."

He raised his eyebrows. "Sooo...?"

Veronica scoffed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Uh, so...as in _when were you going to tell me you know Elijah Mikaelson_? An _Original_?"

"It didn't come up." Sebastian shrugged and glanced around to ensure nothing was out of place as he and Veronica exited the dim bar.

"Didn't come up?!" Veronica hissed, punching the air in frustration. "You _fucking_ liar. And how close are you two for him to convince you to come out of hiding in like two minutes?"

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "First of all, I am _not_ hiding. I'm simply...avoiding revealing I'm still alive to my siblings."

"Sounds like hiding to me." She sighed. "So what made you change your mind? And don't tell me you're 'bored.' I've been trying to get you out of the house, no wait...coffin...for ages. I've suggested the whole 'show-up-in-front-of-your-brothers-who-you-haven't-seen-in-like-a-century' thing like twice, both times with you blowing up at me, mind. And here I made it out to be such a huge thing, and yet here you are about to stroll right in without a moment's hesitation."

Sebastian slowed down, his expression turning serious. "It does hurt sometimes, Veronica, and quite a lot too, to think about what happened. I value family, I do, but the feud between Damon and Stefan has always held me back from revealing myself again. I _have_ checked in several times over the years, contrary to what you believe, to see what they've been up to. It has never appeared as if we could be a happy family again. And I doubt we ever will return to what we had before Katherine, when we were human. I suppose I was too afraid of getting hurt again too, like what happened during that _incident_ but hearing what Elijah had to say sort of woke me up, I guess."

Veronica asked, "What?"

"Elijah values family. And he has been more of a family towards me than Damon and Stefan ever have. I despise them so much for that. It truly hurt to see your own blood choose a _girl_ over you."

"So what? Is this your revenge? Going back and siding with the Mikaelsons? Didn't Elijah want you to be some sort of peacemaker?"

Sebastian laughed. "This isn't revenge, Veronica. But I would like a family again. I don't know what I'm expecting but I can only hope I can find out when I get there."

Veronica pouted. "What about me?"

Sebastian turned serious again. "It's dangerous, Veronica, despite my friendship with Elijah. His family, it's a crazy one, if anything he's told me is true. And I don't want you there until I know it's safe."

She groaned. "So now I have to stay here? It's no fun here without you, even if you are a bit of a prude."

"Please." Sebastian rolled his eyes. "You don't have to stay here, obviously. Travel the world again, go to places you want to go. But keep in contact and don't cause trouble."

Veronica sighed but threw her arms around her friend. "Then I'll see you when it's time."

He hugged her back tightly and buried his nose in her hair. "I'll miss you."

"Ditto."

 **※**

 **Mystic Falls, Virginia** **–** **Mikaelson Mansion**

"Rebekah? Tell me how handsome I am." Kol spread his hands, smirking proudly at his sister from the reflection in the mirror.

Rebekah looked up from admiring her nails and sighed, "Oh Kol, you know I can't be compelled."

Finn, whose suit was being adjusted, looked up and grinned in amusement, as did Elijah. The door slammed open and Klaus stormed in, towards Rebekah.

"You went after Elena. What is _wrong_ with you?"

Elijah glanced up from inspecting a leather shoe, his amused look slipping away as he regarded Klaus's stormy expression. Rebekah settled back into the couch with a pleasant smile, "Here we go."

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?" Klaus growled.

"Again with the dagger threat?" Kol took a seat on the dresser, shaking his head behind Klaus. "Don't you have any other tricks?"

Klaus whirled around. "Oh go back to staring at yourself." He turned to face Rebekah again.

"And who are you, my father?" Kol's eyes narrowed as Elijah, Finn, and Rebekah stilled, looking at Klaus. Mikael was a touchy subject, one that could explode like a bomb any minute, especially for Klaus, and Kol knew it.

"No, Kol." Klaus turned around, a dangerous expression on his face. "But you're in _my_ house–"

Kol stood up challengingly, stepping up to Klaus. "Then per _haps_ we should go outside."

The two stared at each other, glowering, bodies just inches apart from what could result in a bloody fight.

"Enough!" Esther stepped into the room in a white dress, clasping her hands together. "Niklaus. Come."

Klaus glared at Kol for a brief moment before walking away, towards his mother. Kol turned and smirked, as Elijah sighed. "Must you get on his nerves every chance you get?"

"Oh, brother, you know how it is." Kol admitted, sinking down on the couch next to Rebekah, flinging his arms over the back of the couch, nearly hitting his sister in the face. "I have to be the one to stir up some fun here."

Rebekah shifted away from him, grimacing, as she brought her other hand up to look at. "So, Elijah," She started. "Inviting the Gilbert girl is a surefire way of making sure there's going to be trouble, especially since she's probably going to bring one of the Salvatore brothers with her. What's your backup plan? And _please_ don't say you'll just compel everyone, honestly it's getting boring. Come up with something more interesting, I beg of you."

An uncharacteristic grin flitted onto Elijah's face, making him seem almost...excited. "Oh, don't worry. Everything will go according to plan."

Kol tilted his head towards Rebekah. "Sister, he's smiling. As if he's actually happy. Is it just the blood I drank or is it actually real?"

Rebekah smirked. "You're not seeing things, Kol. Elijah, what's going on?"

Elijah snapped out of it and nonchalantly waved the shoe he was still holding.

"You shall see."

Kol rolled his eyes, but dropped it and turned to his sister. "So, I hear you invited that blonde _human_ as your date. One question. Why? If he's just a snack, please, do share. His blood must be quite tasty if you've seen fit to keep him alive."

Rebekah threw a used nail polish bottle at him, which he caught swiftly. "He's not a snack, Kol. And you won't go near him."

Kol stared at her before a dangerous expression crossed his face. "You like him."

Rebekah stood up and smoothed down her outfit, ignoring her brother, before she marched out of the room.

"A dangerous game she's playing, that one." Kol smirked. "She'd just get her heart broken all over again."

 **※**

Damon sauntered up to Carol Lockwood, cocky smirk in place.

"Hanging out with your new besties?" He raised his glass to his lips, looking around casually at the crowd of well-dressed people mingling in the Mikaelson's mansion.

Carol gave him an amused and exasperated look. "I'm the mayor, Damon. When the oldest, deadliest family of vampires moves into your town, you _welcome_ them. With a smile."

"Hmm. Well, at least you know who you're borrowing that cup of sugar from." Damon raised his eyebrows.

Carol took a sip of her glass and said matter-of-factly, "I'm trying to protect this town. They've assure me they want peace, and I've assured them that I'd enforce it."

An unfamiliar voice interrupted the two. "Mayor Lockwood."

Damon and Carol turned to see a handsome and dark-haired young man stroll up towards them. He smiled winningly, holding out his hand for the mayor to shake. "We haven't formally met. Kol Mikaelson."

Without breaking her gaze, he bent forward and kissed the top of her hand. "I hope your lovely town embraces us just as much as we plan to embrace it."

Damon stepped forward, smirking slightly, and held out his own hand. "Damon Salvatore."

Kol raised his head slightly to survey the younger vampire, eyes narrowed.

"Have we met?" Damon tilted his head, staring at Kol. Kol turned back to Carol, his flawless smile still in place.

"I've met a lot of people...and you don't particularly stand out." Holding Damon's gaze for a few more moments, he walked off, ignoring Damon's outstretched hand. Damon watched him go, a slightly bemused look on his face, and turned back, not before something caught his eye near the entrance to the mansion.

Two butlers opened the double doors as Elena stepped into the Original mansion, looking around in wonder at the grandeur of the house. She wore a beautiful dark dress that sparkled in the light, along with dark gloves that accentuated her slender arms.

Damon gazed in awe, and distractedly said, "Excuse me, Carol."

Elena turned her head and stepped back a little in shock as Stefan walked up to her. "What are you doing here?"

Stefan grinned crookedly. "I could ask you the same thing."

"Surprise, surprise." Damon came up to the two. "Nice tux," he said, motioning to Stefan's suit. He turned to Elena abruptly and narrowed his eyes at her, "You're not supposed to be here."

Elena shrugged. "Well, I am. And I'm not leaving until I find out what Esther wants, so...shall we?"

Stefan shot Damon a resigned look, but turned and gracefully offered her his arm, which she took. Damon stared at the two, before wordlessly turning and doing the same.

 **※**

Elijah's voice rang out across the large room from the staircase. "Uh, if everyone could gather, please."

"Welcome. Thank you for joining us." He spread his arms, motioning to the crowd. His brothers and sisters stood beside him, and Esther made her way down the grand staircase, hand rested gently on the banister. "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

The crowd broke out into chatter as people joined with their dates and began to disperse.

"Lovely ball, old friend." Elijah turned his head to see a figure walking beside him. "Truly. I do mean it. You always did know how to be classy."

"Sebastian," Elijah broke out in a warm smile, opening his arms. Sebastian Salvatore gave him a tight hug back, stepping back to give his friend a once-over. Elijah laughed, "You haven't aged a day, of course."

"I could say the same about you." Sebastian grinned back, throwing his arm around Elijah. "So. Who's your lovely date for this evening?"

"Just a woman I've become familiar with around town. And you? You didn't bring a date?"

Sebastian sighed, looking around the ballroom. "You know how I do, Elijah. I fly solo."

Elijah sucked in a slow breath. "Now we both know that isn't true, Sebastian. Take your pick of who's here. I can already see many girls eyeing you. Quite a suit you've chosen there." He gestured towards Sebastian's pristine white tuxedo, lined with a black collar and black cuffs. "If your brothers haven't noticed you already, they will soon."

"Oh, don't worry. I've gotten quite good at avoiding attention." Sebastian motioned in front of him. "You just have to stay out of their line of sight, really. It's not hard. I'm saving my dramatic entrance for later."

"You always were one for theatrics." Elijah nodded, but paused, and looked back at him. "Wait a minute. You're never one for theatrics."

Sebastian patted his friend on the back, before sauntering off. "I'm just here keeping an eye on things, for now. I'll see you later, old friend."

Elijah watched him go, shaking his head, but a small smile came to his face before he nodded to cue the music.

 **※**

"There you are." Rebekah turned to see Kol approaching her. "I was waiting outside for you. Where's Matt?"

Rebekah avoided his gaze. "About that, I uh," She lifted her chin to look at him. "I changed my mind. I don't want to ruin Mother's night."

Kol's playful expression slipped away as he smiled at her dangerously. He had clearly seen Rebekah lead Matt outside, where the human had put a jacket on her shoulders, and bless her weak heart, she had swiftly turned to lead him back inside, ditching him and their plan to make the human and Elena suffer. "Don't tell me you like this boy. And what did he do? He gave you 5 seconds of his attention? Don't be so predictable, Rebekah."

"You don't have to be rude about it." Rebekah stared at her brother, hurt. "Just leave him be, ok?"

As his sister walked away, Kol straightened, a plan already forming in his head. "As you wish, sister."

He stalked back into the ballroom, immediately looking for the human boy.

He found his target a few minutes later, who was wandering onto the second floor balcony.

"Good evening."

Matt jumped, spinning around to see Kol standing behind him. "You're Rebekah's friend. We haven't met."

He glanced around nervously, before turning to face the Mikaelson and stepping forward to shake Kol's outstretched hand. "Matt Donovan."

"Kol Mikaelson."

Before he could even begin to let go, Kol's hand began to tighten. Matt winced, looking at Rebekah's brother in confusion. He could soon feel his bones being crushed, and the pain was excruciating. "AAH!" Matt's knees gave way and he collapsed to the ground.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey." Damon stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets. "Easy on the hand!"

Rebekah, having heard Matt's cry, along with her siblings, flashed to the balcony, where she yelled angrily, "Kol!"

Kol didn't release the human, instead looking up at the younger vampire with a deadly glare, one that would send normal vampires running.

"Guy's a quarterback." Damon shrugged.

Kol scoffed, eyes burning as he kept his gaze. Damon, seeing that the crazed Mikaelson brother had no intentions of letting go, snarled and flashed forward, with the intention of snapping Kol's neck. But before he could even so much as touch the Original vampire, he was flung out of the way, hitting the banister with a very audible crack, shattering several bones in his spine, along with the stone banister.

"Now, brother." A figure in front of Kol straightened. "Is that any way to treat your host and his family for their hospitality?"

Damon couldn't believe his ears. It must have been the impact with the banister, because he could have sworn he had heard...he lifted his head and stared incredulously at the person who had tossed him aside. Holding on to the banister for balance, Damon staggered to his feet, one hand brushing at his eyes just to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"...S...Sebastian?"

The attacker dusted off his white suit and black pants before meeting Damon's stare.

"It's been a long time, Damon."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for sticking with me on the first chapter of this story! I hope this didn't seem too rushed. I was trying to get through the ball quickly so I could get to the juicier parts, like Damon meeting Sebastian** **≖‿≖** **I promise Rebekah and Sebastian will meet soon. ;D Until then, cheers, and see you next chapter! Please leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter or have any feedback!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Mikaelson Mansion**

"I have to say, Elijah. I'm impressed."

Elijah turned to his younger brother and raised his eyebrows in question. "What about, Kol?"

Kol threw his feet onto the glass table in front of the leather sofa and raised his fresh glass of blood. "You're not as boring as you make everyone think you are. Introducing a little havok to the Salvatore alliance? Good on you, brother."

Elijah shook his head. "That is far from what my plans were. Sebastian Salvatore is an old friend of mine; I invited him here with the intention of catching up with him, and perhaps making peace with Elena, Stefan, and Damon."

Kol began to laugh and slow clapped mockingly, saying, "Congratulations, Elijah! You _finally_ have a friend! And here I thought the day would never come, but apparently it's already happened! I quite like him. Anyone who breaks a few bones for me is good in my book, really. So where is he?"

Elijah sighed in exasperation at Kol but answered, "I assume he's introducing himself to his brothers. They haven't seen him in over a century."

Klaus entered the room, hands clasped behind his back, and as he strolled towards the two, smoothly kicked Kol's feet off the table. He faced Elijah and asked, "When were you going to introduce your little friend to us, brother? Based on the few words he shared with you after breaking his brother's back, it seems you've known him for quite a while. A _third_ Salvatore brother! Now _that's_ something that could turn out wonderfully—or terribly—for us. They don't seem to stay dead, do they? "

Rebekah stepped into the room, glaring daggers at a certain brother of hers. "Kol! What did I tell you about—"

" _What,_ sister?" Kol sighed. "For the last time, I was doing you a favor. You're better off without that human. Find someone who won't break when you touch him!"

Kol glanced at Klaus. "Or not, since if you don't break him, Nik probably would."

Rebekah closed her eyes, taking in a controlled breath before letting it out and turning to Elijah, smirking. "So I assume that's who your safety measure was? A Salvatore brother who apparently, from seeing Damon's expression, was probably supposed to be dead? Did you turn him?"

"No, I did not." Elijah traced a finger around his empty wine glass. "He doesn't know either, or at least...he doesn't remember. I met him right after he had been turned. Poor boy had been bitten, drained of nearly half his blood, then shot. I didn't blame him for being a little disoriented. He was so confused and distraught, and something about him made me take him in, teach him, train him to control his thirst. I spent quite some time with him, and it was then I realized how pure a heart he had, something I couldn't let be destroyed by his transition. Too many have lost their way after being turned. I couldn't let that happen. In many ways too, he was very innocent, much like how a boy would be. He still is, in a sense. He has morals unlike any other."

Kol stared at his older brother in horror. "Oh, god. So now there are two Elijahs running around? It's my worst nightmare come true."

Klaus snickered, glancing at Elijah's exasperated expression. "So you trained him? For how long? How come we've never heard of him?"

Elijah raised his eyebrows. "He has the purest heart I've ever seen. Are you _really_ asking me why I never introduced him to you and Kol?"

Klaus' eyes rolled up as he thought about it, counting on his fingers and mumbling something, before looking back at his brother and replied, "You're right. I take it back."

"So...what? He's a vampire saint? Never killed a man, never done any...dark deeds?" Kol smirked. "How dull."

Elijah shook his head, replying, "He has killed. He's not perfect. Despite his goodness, there is an anger in him. It's strong, and it is what makes him strong. He knows how to control it, channel it."

"So what changed?" Rebekah asked. "Why bring him here now?"

Elijah replied, "I'm...not sure, really. Many years have passed since we last met. He's seen more things, is stronger, wiser, and I suppose I thought it was time he came back to his hometown. He would help with the Salvatore problem. Also, I did want to catch up with him. We share many interests. You know, he's quite like us, in a sense. He values family, and he never had the chance to live a full life with one."

Kol let out a gasp. "My _god_. Is it possible that Elijah Mikaelson, our tedious, buzzkill brother, _missed_ his little friend?"

Rebekah glared at her brother. "Don't be so rude, Kol."

Elijah straightened. "He is an old friend of mine, and he has been nothing but kind and accepting towards me, so I implore you to do the same. Treat him with the utmost respect. Do not disappoint me."

With that, he vanished from the room, presumably to check up on how the balcony reconstruction was going.

Rebekah glanced at her other two brothers, who would probably be no fun tonight, considering the fact that one of them was hung up over a baby vampire and the other had tried to kill her date. She groaned inwardly as she was accidentally reminded of Matt. She really needed a drink. Rebekah sped out of the mansion with a sole destination in mind.

 **※**

 **Salvatore Boarding House**

Damon paced back and forth, glaring at the ground as he counted his steps while waiting for the front door to open. After his long-lost-supposedly-dead brother who he hadn't seen in over a century had appeared in front of him and attacked him, causing quite the commotion, Elijah and his family had taken care of compelling anyone who had witnessed it and the ball had ended prematurely. Sebastian had only given him a small grin before jumping off the balcony with a "I'll see you at home, brother."

The doors opened, and he flashed to the entrance, slamming his hand against the wall, causing a nice hand-shaped hole before he realized it wasn't who he had been expecting. Stefan and Elena stared at him before Stefan led Elena into the house.

"Ok then," Stefan sarcastically uttered. "Seems we have a bit of talking to do. Even though you're piss angry, Elena _has_ found out what Esther wanted from her so let's let her talk first before you burn the house to the ground with us in it, all right?"

"He's alive." Damon said, his anger slipping away as he walked in front of the fireplace and stared at the fire hollowly.

Stefan and Elena looked at each other and asked in unison, "Who's alive?"

Damon turned to Stefan and replied, "Sebastian. He's alive."

Stefan stared at his older brother. "That's impossible."

"Oh yeah? Then explain to me why our brother, who was shot in the head in _1862_ , just _attacked me during the ball_. Broke _several_ of my bones, if I might add."

Elena gasped, glancing between the two brothers. "A-are you sure it was him, Damon? I mean...are you sure it wasn't someone who just looked like him?"

Damon let out a harsh laugh. "I might not have seen my brother in over a century, Elena, but I would know his face and voice _anywhere_."

"So this must be the doppelgänger!"

Damon, Elena, and Stefan whipped around to see a tall figure dressed in a white tuxedo suit jacket and black pants. Elena stared in shock. He looked exactly like the man in the picture with Damon and Stefan that she had seen earlier. The man stepped forward towards Elena, pulling his hands out from his pockets and offering one of his hands to her.

"Sebastian Salvatore." He smiled at her. "I'm the brother you haven't met yet."

She couldn't break her gaze with his as she slipped her hand into his, and was half aware of how much she was staring. He had blue eyes, bluer than even Damon's were. His hair was styled upwards, like Stefan's always was, but Elena could tell it was slightly shorter and just a small shade of brown lighter than the youngest Salvatore brother's.

"E...Elena Gilbert."

He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her hand, an unfathomable look in his eyes before he let her go and turned to the two men standing behind her. "Well, well. Now doesn't this sight remind me of a past love story gone wrong?"

Damon stormed up to Sebastian, taking hold of his collar and yanking him forward, glaring at his brother with a fury Elena had never seen before. His hand was trembling as he accused in a low voice, "We _mourned_ for you."

Sebastian's smile flickered, a change so small that if Elena hadn't been examining his expression, she would have missed it.

"You sure you're not mistaking that grief for Katherine's demise instead of mine?"

There was a long pause as Damon registered those words before he slammed Sebastian into the wall behind him. " _You came back_? _YOU WATCHED US GRIEVE AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN DO A THING?!_ You saw us after we turned and you just let us suffer alone like that? And now...now you come back acting as if not a day had passed. We lived for a hundred and fifty years, _mourning_!"

Sebastian whistled and glanced over at where Elena and Stefan were standing. He chuckled, "Isn't Stefan the more emotional one? What's up with this?"

Stefan, clearly shaken up, shook his head and asked, "S...Sebastian. What...happened to you?"

Sebastian frowned and picked at his fingernails. "What do you mean?"

"We saw your body." Damon whispered. "We _buried_ you. How is it possible you're here?"

"Oh, that? A bit of magic a connection performed for me. It wasn't me you buried. The man had died a week before I did." Sebastian waved his hand dismissively.

"You seem...different." Stefan observed, eyes flickering over his brother, like he still couldn't believe what he was seeing was real.

Sebastian dropped his hand and raised his eyebrows. "Being abandoned by your own family, getting your throat ripped open, and being shot in the head tends to do that to you. Oh and walking the earth for over a century might have something to do with it as well."

Stefan stepped towards Sebastian, his emotions in turmoil. This was his older brother, the one who had played with him when they were little, the one who had _always_ been there for him when he needed him. When they were young, Sebastian was the one who brought him warm drinks after a nightmare. He was there for him whenever he fought with Damon. Seeing him again...after having had a century and a half to grieve...Stefan didn't know what to think. "How could you do this to us?"

Elena saw Sebastian's fists clench, his expression shifting into a menacing one, a look that was out of place and that much more dangerous on his previously calm face. His brothers didn't notice this, too preoccupied with trying to get answers out of him.

"How could you do this to us?" Damon repeated, spreading his arms and gesturing at the house. "How could you just leave as if we meant nothing to you? _We grew up together_ , Sebastian. We are _family_."

"Family?" Sebastian's voice went dangerously quiet. "You think you have the right to talk to me about the meaning of family?"

Suddenly, as if a switch had flipped in him, the middle Salvatore brother snapped.

" _YOU_ ABANDONED _ME!_ " Sebastian roared, eyes burning as he hit Damon in the chest with his palm, sending him stumbling backwards. He turned his head to face Stefan. " _Both_ of you. You left me, to _suffer_ , to watch you destroy yourselves over a girl. And all the while, you didn't even care where, or who, Father was turning his wrath onto."

Stefan and Damon looked at each other in shock, over both his anger which they had rarely seen, and what he was saying.

"What are you talking about? You were his favorite son. You always were. He never laid a hand on you like he did to Damon, he was never as strict with you like he was with me." Stefan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he turned his gaze back onto his brother.

Sebastian scoffed. Damon saw his little brother's eyes glistening as he re-clenched his fists.

"You didn't even notice," he murmured in a low voice. "You didn't even _notice_."

Damon opened his mouth but before he could utter a word, Sebastian vanished from the room, leaving the front door wide open. He turned to Stefan, eyes narrowed. "Ok. Well, uh, brother who is a _little_ bit more sane, what is he talking about?"

Stefan was looking at the ground in confusion before his face cleared and he closed his eyes, realization flooding him. "Oh my god."

"What?"

"Father's journal." Stefan groaned. "There was something in there I read a long time ago, a few years after we turned, that I never understood. It all makes sense now."

He slammed his fist on the table, nearly breaking it, and flashed upstairs, Elena and a reluctant Damon following him.

 **※**

 **Mystic Grill**

The restaurant was still bustling when Rebekah entered, and she noticed several of the ball's guests present as well, probably there to drink the night away, after the ball had ended early. She searched the restaurant with a specific person in mind, and found the object of her thoughts sitting at the bar, nursing a drink moodily.

Rebekah walked hesitantly towards Matt.

"Hi." She finally got out, fingering her clutch with apprehension, unsure of how Matt would react to her presence. "What are you doing?"

Matt glanced at her briefly before turning to look down at his hands, his expression dark.

"Well, let's see." He started sarcastically. "I went to a dance and got my hand crushed, found out that I don't have health insurance, so, I just needed a minute to myself."

He shook his head and looked back down at his hands. Guilt shot through Rebekah, and she wanted to reach out to touch his shoulder, but decided that probably wasn't the best of ideas given the situation.

Rebekah offered, "Well...I thought maybe I'd buy you an apology drink."

She smiled, gazing expectantly at him.

"Maybe you could just leave me alone." He said.

"Look, I'm...I'm really sorry about Kol." Rebekah shook her head slowly. "He's a lunatic."

"Look, Rebekah," Matt said contemptuously. "You're really fun and pretty and all, but I _really_ need you to leave me alone."

He pushed off the bar counter and walked away without another word or glance, leaving Rebekah hurt and alone. She looked down, somewhat stunned and fighting the urge to either let a few tears escape or break something.

"Now there's a man who doesn't know how to respect a lady."

Rebekah turned her head to see a body, a very _nice_ body, leaning against the counter next to her. She lifted her eyes to look at who had interrupted her thoughts, realizing very quickly that it hadn't been the best idea, since she completely lost her train of thought when she saw the man's face. He was _very_ handsome, with kind blue eyes to kill for, and something about him seemed familiar—Rebekah's eyes widened as she registered the fact that it was the same person who had attacked Damon that night. She hadn't gotten a good look on the balcony, since he had vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

"You." She raised one eyebrow. "You're Sebastian Salvatore."

He nodded, gesturing for the bartender to get a drink for him. "And you're Rebekah Mikaelson. Elijah speaks very highly of you."

She turned back to the bar, raising her eyebrows while observing the unfamiliar man from the corner of her eye. He leaned against the counter and turned his head to give her a genuine smile, one that caused her to look away as heat rose in her cheeks. He was certainly better looking than both of his brothers.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be happily reuniting with your brothers?"

Sebastian laughed bitterly. "Been there, done that. And along the way, I realized I didn't have nearly enough to drink to get me through it. I had to take a little time off, maybe give them time as well to recover from the shock."

The bartender set down a glass but Sebastian interrupted his actions. "Would you please get the lady one as well? Thank you."

Rebekah asked, "Shouldn't it be a happy occasion? Other than the fact that you broke Damon's back."

"It would be, but there was just one teeny problem. They ditched me in the early 1860s for a girl. You've probably heard of her. Katherine Petrova. They did something quite terrible to me because of her." Sebastian downed his glass in one go. "And then I died. So you see, there's a bit of unsettled resentment I harbor towards them...and I'm afraid that returning so suddenly like this wasn't the best way. Besides, seeing that doppelgänger _really_ made my blood boil. But I came back for Elijah. Don't get me wrong, I love my brothers in a weird...irritating way, but Elijah is such a good friend and mentor, and frankly I've known him far longer than the time I spent growing up with my brothers."

Rebekah noticed his tightly clenched fist. This must have been the anger Elijah was talking about. At least there was one Salvatore who wouldn't be completely obsessed with the Gilbert girl now. Perhaps he could knock a little sense into Damon and Stefan.

"I'm sorry," He turned to her, giving her a small grin. "I'm talking far much about myself, aren't I? What about you? How have the last few...centuries been treating you?"

Rebekah let out a laugh, picking up the glass and swirling the liquid around. She replied, "Rough. When your life has been controlled with the constant threat of a dagger to—"

She stilled, and glanced at Sebastian who chuckled. "Don't worry. Elijah's told me all about your brother Niklaus and his...domineering ways."

Rebekah tilted her head and smiled, taking the chance to better observe the middle Salvatore brother, who she hoped was a more decent being than his brothers were. "How do you know so much about us? How close are you and Elijah exactly?"

"We had a lot of time to bond," Sebastian replied. "And I suppose I was your brother's only friend at the time as well."

"Well." Rebekah laughed. "I am pretty sure you still are my brother's only friend."

"Amen to that." Sebastian filled his glass and clinked it against hers.

"Funny he never mentioned you though," Rebekah eyed the Salvatore out of the corner of her eye. "Makes me wonder what he might have been trying to hide from us."

Sebastian sighed and replied carelessly, "I was naive, young, and didn't know any better. I suppose he was trying to protect me."

Rebekah leaned forward, close to Sebastian. She could hear his heartbeat quicken. "From us, do you mean?"

"T-that's not what I mean. I'm..." He stammered, eyes darting back and forth.

"Relax." Rebekah laughed and leaned backwards. His reaction certainly was adorable. Elijah was right about that innocence of Sebastian's, despite how old he was. "I was only joking. Elijah told us his reasons for not introducing you earlier."

He let out a breath that he didn't seem to know he had been holding and let out a chuckle. "Oh. I see."

They talked for a little while longer, before Sebastian finally looked down at his watch and stood up. "I better go. I expect Stefan and Damon have calmed down considerably to be in the mood to talk now. It was really nice talking to you, though. I hope I see you around."

She nodded, smiling at his words. "Likewise."

He began walking away, and Rebekah returned her attention back to the counter and her drink.

"Rebekah."

She turned to look at Sebastian and replied, "Yes?"

"I noticed you both during the ball. If he doesn't know what you're worth, or what he loses by letting you go...he doesn't deserve you."

Rebekah blinked in surprise as she watched Sebastian walk out of the restaurant.

 **※**

Sebastian flipped open his phone and pressed it to his ear, grinning as he heard a familiar voice shouting at him over the phone.

"Victoria. How are things going?"

"Oh, oh just great!" Victoria replied sarcastically. "Do you know what I'm doing right now? Getting my hair dyed. That's the most exciting thing I've done since you left. I am having absolutely zero fun. I've been hanging out with you so long I'm becoming a boring old granny too."

Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"So? How did reuniting with your brothers go?"

Sebastian turned his head to watch for cars as he crossed the street. "Uh...well, not as smoothly as I expected. I'm mad at them, they're mad at me. I attacked Damon, Damon attacked me."

Victoria replied, "It takes time, Sebastian. They haven't seen you for over a century. They have reason to be mad at you too. Hell, I don't even know _what_ I'd think if a sibling I thought was dead for a century suddenly showed up in front of me."

"I know, I know."

"How did catching up with Elijah go?"

Sebastian shrugged. "Well we haven't been able to do that, really, since a lot has been happening. But he's doing well." He straightened. "It's still not safe for you to come back. The tension between my brothers and his family is worse than I expected."

"How are the Originals?" Victoria asked. "What are they like?"

"Haven't met all of them yet, really. I have talked with his sister, Rebekah, who seems very nice."

"She's an Original, Seb. I doubt she's actually _nice_." Victoria scoffed.

"Don't be mean, Victoria." Sebastian scolded. "She seems plenty nice, and Elijah always speaks highly of her. That must mean something."

Victoria sighed. "Well are you at least getting laid? You know, now that you're back in your hometown. You should be a little more familiar with the...population, right?"

Sebastian replied, "Uh, n-no."

"Oh my god." He could practically hear Victoria rolling her eyes and slapping a hand to her forehead. "You're _such_ a prude! When was the last time you even tried flirting with a girl? I mean, the last time a girl came onto you, you didn't even know how to approach her. Remember her? Tall, red hair, really big boobs? She had you up against the wall and you became a stuttering wreck. I had to save you from that mess. Seriously, Sebastian, how are you so inexperienced? You're plenty good-looking, you have so many skills, and yet I simply don't understand what I'm going to do with you and your nonexistent love life—"

"Victoria."

"I mean, _honestly_! You can speak literally any language that exists and yet you don't know how to talk to girls. No, ok, you can talk to girls, I take it back, but you don't know how to _flirt_ with girls. Even with my best hook-up and wingwoman skills, you're basically a virgin. My sire is a vampire virgin—"

" _Victoria_."

"And you couldn't tell if someone was interested in you if they told you straight to your face. Do you know how badly this reflects on me? I'm embarrassed. I despair for you, truly, I do—"

" _Victoria!"_

She paused, finally taking a breath, "Yes?"

"I am _not_ a virgin!"

Sebastian quickly apologized to an old lady walking her dog who was giving him a strange look before continuing his conversation and hurrying down the sidewalk, one hand stuffed in his pocket. "Why are you so obsessed with that part of my life? Look, I've told you I'm just not that interested in having a relationship like that at the moment."

Victoria groaned, "At the moment? It's been 20 years since you last told me that. Look, isn't it about time you got over _her_? She broke your heart, fine. That was _decades_ ago, Sebastian! Not all women are like her. Besides, I never did like that woman. And that's no excuse for having like zero sexual relations after all this time. You aren't fooling anyone. Having sex like once every 50 years ago is _basically_ having done nothing at all, considering your age. You are an _immortal_ _being_. Most girls these days like a man with experience, you know."

Sebastian rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Victoria. We are not talking about this right now. I just wanted to see how things were going on your end and update you on my status."

"Yes. Your screwed-up-family-and-bromance-with-Elijah-virgin status." Victoria urged. "You know one of my few pleasures in life is making you uncomfortable. Along with trying to get you laid. I'm still working on that. But without that, I'm bored out of my mind. _Please_ let me come over. Let me stir up some fun."

"No!" Sebastian emphasized. "I told you, I really don't think it's safe here just yet."

There was a long pause before she snapped, "Fine. Remind me next time to give you a good slap for making me suffer like this, though. Talk to you later."

"Good _bye,_ Victoria." Sebastian sighed, hanging up the phone. He stopped in front of his destination, and looked up at the house, wondering if his brothers were still up. He took a deep breath and pushed aside his thoughts, opening door and entering the house.

Sure enough, Damon and Stefan were waiting for him, arms folded, unreadable expressions on their faces as he closed the door behind him. He took a slow step forward, tilting his head as he muttered, "Here comes the firing squad."

He raised his hands. "I promise I haven't been murdering people around town. Despite what you may think of me, I still am the brother you abandoned all those years ago. My morals haven't changed. Ok, well, not _that_ much."

"Sebastian."

Damon walked towards him and put a hand on his shoulder, looking straight into Sebastian's eyes. A long moment passed before Damon pulled his brother forward, giving him a bone-crushing hug. He buried his face in Sebastian's shoulder and murmured,"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

He let go, and Stefan came forward to do the same.

"We've missed you, Sebastian." Stefan let go, gripping his older brother by the arms. "We're _sorry_ , that we never realized what was going on. You _know_ that if we had known we would have done everything we could to stop it. I know what was done to you can never be repaired, but if there is a way, _any_ way, we can begin to make amends for what happened, please let us know."

They observed Sebastian, who stood stock still for a long moment, taking in what they had to say. He closed his eyes, but smiled. "Well, how about catching me up to date on everything that's happened in your lives since I died for a start?"

Damon looked at his brothers and grinned. "I'll get the drinks."

 **※**

 **Mikaelson Mansion**

Elijah stepped closer to the table, reaching out his hand and carefully picking up the burnt sage that lay there. He turned it in his hand, expression serious as he thought back to the previous night and what on earth his mother might have been doing to require a privacy spell.

"Well, well, well!" In the other room, Kol stood up to face his sister, who had just walked into the living room. "There's our girl!"

He blocked her way, stepping wherever she stepped.

"Get out of my way, Kol." Rebekah hissed.

"For _once_ , she hasn't been out all night!" Kol clasped his hands, glancing back to look at Klaus, who was sketching on his sketchpad. "What a scandal! And why, if I may ask? You're giving a bad name to strumpets everywhere. Well at least it's better than being with that commoner. Matt, was it?"

"If you don't shut your mouth, the next thing to come out of it will be your _teeth_." Rebekah glared down at her brother. "For your information, I was having a very nice, very _intelligent_ conversation with someone last night. It's not all about the sex and pleasure, Kol."

Klaus smirked at his sketchpad, and Rebekah turned her glare on him. "Don't start, Nik."

"I didn't say anything." Klaus raised his pencil indignantly.

Kol flopped down sideways onto the leather armchair, flinging his legs over one of the armrests. "I'm bored. Our sister's strumpet ways are fading and yet she's still having fun. I need entertainment." He shook his head, looking at Klaus expectantly.

"What are you waiting for? Go on. Have at it." Klaus glanced up once before returning to his sketchpad.

"It's no fun to go alone! Join me, Nik." Realizing that Klaus didn't reply, he narrowed his eyes. "It's the least you could do after sticking a dagger in my heart."

The guilt trip worked, as Klaus' attention was torn away from his drawing, and he fixed his gaze on his younger brother.

"Ok. Why not?" Klaus tossed his pencil down and laid his sketchpad aside, standing up. "I didn't have nearly enough to drink last night, what with you trying to murder Rebekah's date."

He brushed past Rebekah, giving her a look as he went. Kol jumped up excitedly and followed his brother out.

"Yes, please go." Rebekah groaned. "This house has enough men rolling around in it."

Kol whipped around and pointed at her, grinning broadly. "Just like you, Bekah!"

She flashed towards Klaus' pencil and chucked it at Kol, but missed. It embedded itself in the doorframe instead. "Good riddance, both of you!"

"Rebekah."

She glanced up to see Elijah stepping slowly into the room from the adjacent one, holding something up slightly in his right hand. She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Not you too, Elijah."

"I'm worried about Mother." He fingered the sage, staring distractedly down at the ground. "Have you not noticed her strange behavior?"

"She's been dead for a thousand years. What's strange for her?" Rebekah shook her head, meeting Elijah's gaze as he walked towards her. He offered the sage to her and she took it, examining it in her hands.

"She was doing a privacy spell." He added.

Rebekah, unable to explain it, shook her head again. "You know she fancies such things. Why don't you ask Finn? He's been doting on her."

"I don't trust Finn. He hates what we are, he always has."

"That's not true." Rebekah replied determinedly. "And as for Mother, she returned for one reason. To make her family whole. She loves us. What trouble are you looking to find?"

Rebekah tossed the sage back to her brother and walked out of the room, looking to fix herself a drink.

Elijah turned the sage in his hand again, trying to clear his thoughts. With his other hand, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. It rang twice before the caller picked up, his voice happily ringing out. "Elijah!"

"Sebastian," Elijah pocketed the sage. "I have a favor to ask of you."

 **※**

 **Salvatore Boarding House**

"Join me for a little victory drink?" Damon brandished a glass of blood at his brother.

Stefan glanced at him before returning to staring moodily at the fire. "We should wait until Klaus is dead."

Damon scrunched up his nose. "Ugh. Why are you so broody? We have our brother back, although he may be a little whacked up in the head, is a sarcastic little dick, and it's probably going to take ages to make him forgive us. And didn't you see the way we stood up to Elena? I like you on my team. Must have driven her nuts."

"You still think she's going to screw this up, don't you?" Stefan faced Damon.

"I think somebody needs to talk to her." Damon shrugged. "She's not gonna listen to anything I say. I made it clear I was totally on board with the whole 'kill the whole family, even Elijah, to kill Klaus' plan."

Stefan replied, "I made that pretty clear myself. The link between the siblings is the only way we get our wish. Despite Elena's conscience, I don't see any other way we can get our way without killing the whole family to get to Klaus."

"Yeah but she actually likes you. Even with your whole...post-bloodthirsty mood thing going on." Damon raised his glass. "Now you get to come in and sweep her off her feet."

"Nah. She's better off without me." Stefan shook his head and looked back at his brother. "Sure as hell better off without you."

Damon glowered at Stefan before walking away, lip twitching in frustration. "Fine. Neither one of us gets her. Just make sure she doesn't screw up Esther's plan."

He set his glass of blood down in Stefan's line of sight and exited the room.

Outside the house, a figure, whose hand was resting on the doorknob of the front door, stepped backwards and sped away, towards the Mikaelson mansion.

 **※**

 **Mikaelson Mansion**

Someone knocked incessantly on the door, and Rebekah sighed, getting to her feet and flashing to the entrance. The speed and force of the knocks could only mean a vampire was at the door.

"I'm _coming,_ you can stop that horrid poundi—" Rebekah paused, taking in the person before her. "Sebastian."

There was a soft wind as Elijah appeared next to her. "Sebastian. I trust you have news?"

"That I do, old friend." The Salvatore nodded. "Hello, Rebekah. It's lovely to see you again. How are you?"

Rebekah smiled. "I'm fine, thank you."

Elijah led his friend in, examining his grave expression. "Well?"

"It's worse than you thought, Elijah." Sebastian turned his head to look around the house before asking in a low voice, "Is your mother here? Or your brother Finn?"

"No, they went out this morning." Elijah replied, puzzled. "What's going on?"

Sebastian took a breath and got straight to the point. "Your mother has found a way to link you and your siblings together. All of you. If one dies, you all die. You can probably guess what she's up to."

Rebekah said, "I don't understand. Elijah, why would Mother do that?"

Elijah closed his eyes and turned his head, grimacing in anger. "She wants to kill us all, doesn't she? She wants to undo all the evil she created."

"I'm sorry, Elijah." Sebastian looked between Rebekah and Elijah helplessly. "That's all I know about your mother's plan. Although I do assume that Finn will be the sacrifice, seeing as how he is probably with her right now and assisting her with the set-up."

Elijah began to pace slowly, arms behind his back.

"We have to find a way to stop this." Elijah paused, lost in thought. "Elena Gilbert."

Sebastian tilted his head in confusion. "What about her?"

"Your brothers would stop at nothing to keep her safe. If we used her as a hostage, perhaps they would be so inclined to help break the spell. My mother must be using the Bennett witches. She is not strong enough to do this herself. The witches would sense us coming from a mile away. But if it were either one of your brothers who stopped them, they wouldn't be able to tell."

"I...I don't know, Elijah," Sebastian said worriedly. "I don't like the doppelgänger any more than you do, but doing this means the witches will most likely end up getting hurt. They've done nothing wrong."

"There is no other way." Elijah stated, facing his friend. "Either she dies, or we die. I'm sorry it had to come to this, and I know you don't like it, but your brothers would stop at nothing to save her. She will not be harmed, I know it."

Sebastian shook his head. "Elijah, there must be another way. If Damon and Stefan can't stop the spell, then they have to eliminate one of the sources of magic Esther is channeling from. That means _killing_ one of the witches."

Elijah turned to face Rebekah. "I will lead Elena into the forest, where the underground cavern lies. You will need to watch over her and be prepared to act if, by chance, the Salvatore brothers don't complete their task."

Rebekah nodded.

"Elijah!" Sebastian stepped towards his friend, and placed a hand on Elijah's arm. "I can't let you do this. You'll only end up regretting what you have done."

Elijah shook his head. "I won't live to regret it if I don't do this. I'm sorry for this, my friend, but we are out of time and options."

He flashed behind Sebastian, and before the middle Salvatore brother could react, Elijah snapped his neck. Rebekah raised her eyebrows in shock as Sebastian's body fell lifelessly to the floor. She could see the guilt lingering in Elijah's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

Rebekah asked quietly, "Is he going to be okay with you snapping his neck?"

Elijah sighed and began to walk out the door, Rebekah following him. "I doubt he cares much for Elena, because of his past. He will forgive me, because of his kindness and loyalty. I have done this only once to him before. However, he doesn't like it when human lives are threatened, whether they be a witch or not. You see, he wanted to be a doctor when he was human. I suppose that's what helps him draw the line between good and bad for him."

"So...he won't kill?"

"I told you, he has morals unlike any other. It's quite strange though, really. He is a vampire of course, and he drinks human blood in moderation. However, he holds value over human life, I believe even more so than his own at times. Yet I've heard of him doing terrible things if angry, and he rarely is, or when people he care about are threatened or in danger."

"Why wouldn't he be okay with using the Gilbert girl as a hostage then? He cares about you, doesn't he?"

Elijah nodded, lips twisting into a wry smile. "He does. Very much. And that is very likely why he didn't want me to go through with this."

"I don't follow." Rebekah frowned.

"Sebastian understands me, probably too much. He thinks that I would regret this method. Using Elena to stop this witches, that is."

"And will you?"

"Only time will tell." Elijah sighed. "Let's go."

Rebekah smirked. "Let's go get ourselves a doppelgänger bitch."

 **※**

Sebastian awoke with a gasp, jolting up to his feet unsteadily. He groaned and rubbed his neck, rotating it to get the stiffness out of it. Curse Elijah and his Original speed. No matter how much human blood Sebastian consumed, he would never be as strong or fast as his friend. He tripped over his feet towards the door, trying to regain his sense of balance, and opened the door.

"Damn." Sebastian muttered.

It was already dark, which meant Elijah had most definitely gone ahead with his plan to use Elena. He remembered the last time he had fed had been that morning with Victoria, when Elijah had called. That must have been why it took so long for his neck to snap back and heal.

"The cavern." Sebastian nodded. Yes, he knew where that was, as he had accidentally found his way into the tunnels multiple times when he had been human. Sebastian winced as he remembered how his clumsiness as a human had caused him so much trouble sometimes. He flashed out of the door, running towards the forest where he last remembered the large cavern connected to the huge network of tunnels had been.

Sebastian stopped just before the edge of the giant hole that he most definitely did _not_ remember being there. It must have been Elijah's work. He jumped in, and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He could hear only one heartbeat, most likely the doppelgänger's. His eyebrows furrowed. Surely Rebekah should have one too, despite her being an Original vampire. Sebastian sniffed the air, and located where the direction that the faint scent he recognized from the previous night with Rebekah was coming from.

He found her lying on the cold ground...without a heartbeat. He sped forward and knelt down, turning her over on his lap so he could examine her. There was no stake through her heart, and no sign of any physical damage but the blackness of the veins that was spread along her body signaled that she was in the state she would be had she been daggered. Sebastian sighed in frustration. Stefan and Damon were up to something, he was certain of it.

He looked down at Rebekah, brushing aside golden strands of her hair to get a better observation of Elijah's only sister. She was quite...beautiful, her delicate features striking even with the web of grey veins spreading up her neck; he hadn't bothered to stop and appreciate a woman since his heart had been broken by the woman he thought he'd been in love with, all those years ago. Holding Rebekah like this was beginning to make his heart beat faster. He leaned closer, one hand cupping her cheek to turn it slightly. Before he could get a closer look, however, she shot up in his arms, gasping. Rebekah flashed to her feet and grabbed ahold of his neck, lifting him without looking, a low growl deep in her throat as she turned her head slowly to observe her surroundings.

"Hey, hey," Sebastian choked out, both hands tapping her wrist as his feet began to lift off the ground. "It's just me. You're okay! You're okay."

Rebekah stared at him in confusion before dropping him. "What happened?"

"I have no idea," He gasped, rubbing his neck. "I just woke up and came here to find you lying on the ground. Are you feeling alright?"

She took a deep breath, dusting herself off and tossing her hair over her shoulders. "No, not really. But I'll feel much better once I rip something from limb to limb."

Sebastian's lips twitched. He slipped off his black jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Here."

Rebekah gave him a strange look. "I'm a vampire, Sebastian. You forget we don't get cold."

He tripped over his thoughts, unable to find anything to say to explain his blunder. "Uh...well it's...protection. From the dirt and...stuff."

Fuck, as soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to find a nice hole to perhaps curl up and spend the rest of eternity in.

Rebekah laughed, but slipped her arms through the jacket anyways. "Thank you."

Her amusement was replaced with anger as she realized something.

"Elena." She growled. Before he could say anything, she disappeared from her sight, and he could hear her running through every tunnel, and soon she paused somewhere in the tunnels.

"You can't hide, E-le-na!" She taunted. "Not sure why I'm feeling under the weather. Must be your boys trying to find a loophole. Won't matter. I could chase you down on my worst day."

Sebastian had to fight back a smile.

"Boo!"

He heard a shriek and a smack as someone hit the other.

"You little bitch."

She must have found the doppelgänger then. Sebastian sped towards the commotion, and stopped next to Rebekah glaring furiously at Elena Gilbert, who had backed away in a smaller cavern that contained an open coffin.

"I can't get in," Rebekah told Sebastian. "Some sort of witchy interference."

"Sebastian!" The doppelgänger gasped when she saw him. "Please, help me! She's trying to kill me!"

"Oh, _please_." Rebekah sneered, tilting her head, giving it some thought and shrugging. "Only a little."

Elena stared at Sebastian in confusion when he didn't appear to make a move to help her or restrain Rebekah. She stammered, "W-what are you doing?"

Sebastian sighed in resignation. He had thought deeply about what Elijah had said to him, about how nonexistent any other options were available, and having weighed the consequences of each against each other, he knew what had to be done. "I'm sorry, Elena. If this doesn't happen, Elijah, Rebekah, all of them would die. Are you sure you want that on your conscience? You won't be harmed. Elijah is certain of it."

"Besides Elijah, it doesn't _matter_ if they all die!" Elena cried out. "Why are you doing this? Stefan and Damon are your _brothers_."

Sebastian's expression shifted into a dark one.

"Yes. They are my brothers." He said quietly, stepping forward until he couldn't move any further. "But who are you?"

"W...what do you mean?"

Sebastian spread his hands. "Who are you to me? You are my brothers' love interest, nothing more. I've heard things about you, Elena Gilbert. People suffer because of you, they even die for you. My brothers worship you at your feet, and yet, you can't seem to decide which one you want. Do you know what you're doing, Elena? You're playing them. In the end, someone else will always get hurt because of you. _For_ you. So, yes, Damon and Stefan are my brothers. I love them dearly, I always have, no matter what they may have done to me. I will _never_ choose someone else over their lives, no matter the cost. I've seen firsthand what outsiders can do to a family, Elena. And you...you're just history repeating itself all over again. You mean nothing to me."

Elena stared at him in horror, and Rebekah gave a small smile at his speech before turning to him and saying, "Stay here. I'll be right back."

Sebastian nodded, watching her until she disappeared from her line of sight. He turned back to the doppelgänger. She didn't seem too terrified, most likely because of the magic that hindered Rebekah from entering. She was safe for now, but whatever Rebekah was going to do, he didn't think it was going to be a joyride for the doppelgänger.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena repeated, looking imploringly at the Salvatore brother she hardly knew. "It's not _right_. Stefan and Damon...they said you were _kind_. They said you were the kindest of them all."

Sebastian scoffed and looked at Elena disdainfully. She had Katherine's face, and was completely different, but her personality simply could not make him like her any more than he had liked Katherine. He didn't bother answering her, instead tilting his head as he heard Rebekah returning. She held up a red gasoline container, and smirked.

"Let's continue where we left off, shall we?"

 **※**

 **Mikaelson Mansion**

Sebastian made his way into Elijah's room and saw his friend standing at the table sealing something into an envelope. Rebekah's taunting of Elena had been called off when Elijah had let her know that all was well. Apparently, Damon had turned the younger witch's mother into a vampire, thus disrupting the channeling of magic Esther had been performing. It was clever, really, although Sebastian highly disapproved of the suffering the young witch would now have to go through, with her mother now in transition. His eyes flitted around the room and noticed it was neat and bare. _Too_ bare.

"You're leaving."

Elijah turned to face his friend. "My mother was right, you know. All my talk of virtue. When it suits my needs, I kill, maim, and torment. Even today, I terrorized an innocent. And I used my sister's hatred of her to get what I wanted. Wielded her like I would a sword...my _sister_. And you...my closest friend. I snapped your neck simply because I thought it would waste too much time arguing with you."

"I can't die permanently from that, Elijah, and you know it." Sebastian placed a hand on Elijah's shoulder.

"My mother turned my siblings and I into vampires. She didn't make us into monsters." Elijah turned away from Sebastian. "We did that to ourselves."

Sebastian sighed, "I just got here, on your request. You're gonna leave me so soon?"

"You are more than welcome to come with me," Elijah replied. "But I assumed you would want to stay a little while longer."

Sebastian nodded and stuffed his hands into his pockets as he watched Elijah walk out of the room.

"Sebastian."

He looked up in question as Elijah turned to him one last time. "Yes?"

"Kol is gone, as are my mother and Finn, and all Rebekah has left here is Niklaus. She may need a friend to talk to." Elijah said, his expression grim. "Take care of her, will you?"

"You know I will."

And with that, Elijah left, leaving Sebastian alone with only his thoughts to keep him company.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's that! Thanks for braving my terrible writing to finishing the second chapter! I know there wasn't really any serious Rebekah/OC chemistry in this chapter but they're still trying to get to know each other. I promise it'll come soon!**

 **So basically this chapter was mainly meant to outline who Sebastian is as a character. He has _immense_ resentment towards Elena, just simply because of his past and what Katherine did to his brothers. Also, just to clarify about Sebastian's inexperience with the ladies, he can talk to them, like he's doing with Rebekah at the moment, but he simply doesn't know how to flirt with them. Don't worry. He has skills. ****≖‿≖**

 **Also, I know Sebastian hasn't technically met Kol and Klaus yet, but don't worry, he will!**

 **And as always, please leave a review if you liked this chapter and would like to see more, or if you simply have some feedback!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Mystic Falls High School**

Rock music blared out from the speaker system as students milled around in the hallways and outside, waiting for classes to begin.

Caroline groaned, hitting her locker with a fist. "Mondays...I _hate_ Mondays."

Elena sighed, pushing her aside slightly so she could open her own locker. "Do you think Bonnie is going to be here today?"

"I...I don't know, Elena." Caroline gave her friend a pitying look. "She's still trying to deal with what's happened. I told you it wasn't going to be easy. And frankly, I really think you're the last person she wants to see right now."

"Yeah, I get it." Elena looked down at her shoes. "I just really want to be there for her."

"I understand that. But give her some time, ok?" Caroline placed a comforting hand on Elena's shoulder.

"Hey."

The two girls turned to see Matt walking up to them. Elena greeted him back. "Hey, Matt."

"Hey," he replied, leaning against the lockers. "Everything alright with you?"

Elena nodded, obviously still upset, and closed her locker. "I just wish I didn't feel this _helpless_ all the time _._ It hurts me to have to see Bonnie suffer because of me. And if there was anything I could have done differently to prevent this from happening, I _would_ have. _"_

 _"_ We all know that, Elena." Matt reassured. "Bonnie knows it too. She loves you, but maybe she just needs a break from everything. It's been rough for her the last couple months."

She nodded. "I know."

Their attention from their conversation was soon pulled away as there was a sudden increase in whispering and murmuring in the hallway. Most of the students had their attention directed somewhere, and began to gather in one section on the hallway. Caroline frowned. "What's going on?"

Elena shrugged. "I don't know. Let's go see."

They walked in the direction of the commotion, and found themselves near the office, where there seemed to be a person wearing a dark jacket standing inside, leaning on the front desk and talking to the secretary, who was smiling a little too widely and laughing a little too hard.

"Who is that?" Caroline craned her neck, desperately trying to get a good look.

The figure turned around, tucking a pair of sunglasses onto his shirt and stepping out of the office.

Elena's eyes widened. "Sebastian."

"Sebastian? As in Sebastian _Salvatore_?" Caroline gripped Elena's arm so hard Elena winced. "Oops, sorry. But _that_ 's Stefan's brother?"

Elena gave Caroline a look. "Yeah. Why?"

"You told me he was good-looking!" Caroline hissed. "He's not good-looking, he is _smoking_ hot! That...that is some model material right there. Oh my. And you went for the other two?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Don't you have a boyfriend?"

Caroline waved away her comment with a dismissive hand, unable to tear her eyes away. "Doesn't mean I can't admire the view from here."

Sebastian turned his head, and began walking in their direction.

Caroline jumped and straightened, adjusting her clothes and hair while facing Elena. "Quick. How do I look?"

"You look...fine. I do not understand why you are getting so worked up about this."

Elena was unsure of how Sebastian would react when he would inevitably run into her at school. He had made it clear that he didn't care much for her, despite both his brothers' feelings for her. She knew from experience that people's hatred for Katherine often transferred to her. She just hoped that she could prove him wrong and become friends with him. He was obviously a huge part of Stefan and Damon's lives, and she would hate for their relationship to be ruined because of her, though she knew it would be difficult to get Sebastian to warm up to her.

His eyes were vigilant as he observed his surroundings, though he seemed to be unaware of how much attention he was attracting from the other students, especially quite a few of the female ones. Elena saw his gaze land on her, and she tensed, prepared for whatever might come from it. However, he soon looked away from her and broke out into a smile when his attention was pulled somewhere else. She turned her head to see Rebekah walking towards him. The Original leaned up against a locker, and they began to talk about something.

" _Ugh_." Caroline crinkled her nose. "What's he doing talking to the she-devil?"

"He's friends with Elijah Mikaelson." Elena muttered. "And Elijah's the one who invited him back here to Mystic Falls."

Caroline's jaw dropped and she whipped her head around to stare at her friend. " _No._ What?! And you didn't bother to tell me this immediately? Like, maybe after the weird fact that he did _nothing_ while you were kidnapped by that bitch?"

"I've been preoccupied with other things." Elena pursed her lips. "But it's true."

"Damn it." Caroline sighed. "Why are so many of the hot ones evil?"

Matt and Elena both turned to Caroline, eyebrows raised.

"What?" She looked irritated. "Damon is hot, but he turned out to be slightly evil. Klaus is hot, he's like the epitome of evil. And now Damon's brother...how evil do you think he is?"

Elena admitted, "Honestly, I don't think he's evil. He really just doesn't care for me. I guess I remind him of Katherine."

"Uh, well, then you have to prove him wrong. Don't go making enemies with _all_ the hotties." Caroline gave her a look that said 'duh'. "Also what exactly happened with his appearance at Damon and Stefan's house? You haven't told us all the juicy details. Like, what was his dramatic entrance?"

The bell rang, and Elena rolled her eyes.

"I'll tell you in class. Come on."

 **※**

 **Salvatore Boarding House**

"Dear diary," Damon drawled dramatically as he leaned against the doorway of Stefan's room, taking in the way Stefan was obnoxiously tapping his ring against the table while twirling his pen around in the other hand. "A chipmunk asked me my name today. I told him it was Joe. That lie will haunt me forever."

He had spent the entire morning trying in vain to convince the Sheriff to let Alaric go, since he had been jailed temporarily per Meredith Fell's ridiculous accusations of murder, assault, and purposefully hurting himself. She was such a psycho, he didn't even know why Alaric continued hanging around her. Coming back and seeing Stefan brooding as usual just added on to his irritation.

"What do you want?" Stefan snapped. He rose from his seat and walked over to a bookshelf to slide his diary back into place.

Damon folded his arms. "I was hoping we could hang. You know, a little brother bonding. I mean, I know we don't actually 'hang out.' We team up. We join forces, we activate our wonder twin powersss..."

He clenched a fist and shook it triumphantly as he followed Stephan over and began to examine the bookshelf for something.

Stephan turned around to see what his brother was doing. He raised his hands and dropped them back down in resignation. "What are you doing?"

"Digging up clues." Damon peered at the bookshelf and reached in, digging around for something. "Most of the Originals are gone, but now we have a whodunit in town. Alaric's being blamed for a murder. Hey, do you remember when we came back for Zachariah's funeral?"

"Vaguely, why?" Stefan replied.

"'Cause if memory serves, he wasn't the first Founders council member killed that year. Or even that month."

"Your point being?"

Damon squinted at Stefan. "I'm trying to remember what year it was."

Stefan tilted his head. "1912."

"So much for 'vaguely'." Damon snorted. He tossed a diary carelessly at Stefan, who caught it and began to flip through it.

"1912." Damon repeated, leaning comfortably against the bookshelf. "Or as I like to call it, the last time Mystic Falls had a serial killer on its hands."

"A serial killer?" Sebastian ambled into the room, surveying it critically. "How dramatic. Do tell. I'm just kidding, don't. I've done my homework on this town and everything that's happened since I left. It's like watching fingernails grow, let me tell you that."

Damon's lips thinned as he looked at him. The fact that Sebastian had been with Rebekah and hadn't done a thing about when Elena had been kidnapped by her still didn't sit right with him. He knew Sebastian owed Elena nothing and held no obligation towards her, but being his brother and all, he had hoped Sebastian would have given a little helping hand in the situation. He was overjoyed that he finally had his other brother back, but he just seemed so...different. Sebastian no longer seemed like the innocent boy their parents had doted on. He was...darker, and there was something strange about him that Damon simply couldn't put his finger on.

"Oh, don't look at me like that." Sebastian scoffed. "The doppelgänger is fine. Saw her today at school actually."

Stefan's head snapped up from where he had been reading his old diary. "School? What were you doing there?"

"What?" Sebastian shrugged. "I need a story. A third Salvatore brother, showing up suddenly in Mystic Falls after all this time? No job, no things to do, best thing I could do was get my education...for the third time...or was it the fourth, I don't quite remember how many times I've gone to school. Should I just be considering secondary education? Or does medical school count, too? Because I've done that twice."

Damon rolled his eyes, muttering, "Fantastic. As if Stefan wasn't bad enough."

"I know. I'm the smartest Salvatore brother." Sebastian spread his hands in a 'what are you going to do about it' manner.

Damon threw a long candlestick at Sebastian who caught it with one hand and looked at Damon, an insulted look on his face.

Damon shrugged. "It slipped."

Sebastian pushed off the wall where he was leaning and started towards Damon. "My _foot_ is gonna ' _slip'_."

Damon grimaced and held out another candlestick, pointing it at his brother as if it could ward him off, "Ugh. Dick. What do you say, Stefan? Wanna go get drunk?"

"I get it." Stefan said lazily to Damon. "You're bored. Your best friend's in jail, and you don't have anything better to do with yourself. Why don't you go with Sebastian? You two were inseparable back in the day."

"Well there's that. And...I was hoping you could help me solve a murder. No offense to you, Sebastian, but you haven't exactly been around long enough to know much about Mystic Falls, despite your...homework." Damon waved the candlestick at Sebastian, who shrugged.

"None taken. I'm coming with you, though. I'm not too keen on solving murders and being a hero just yet. I've had too much adventure since I got here." Sebastian sighed and folded his hands behind his head. "I need to relax. Preferably with a drink."

Damon's eyebrow twitched in amusement as he walked out the door, Stefan following him. "I see your position on alcohol has changed. You were a nun back then."

"I was not a _nun_." Sebastian followed them, adding indignantly, "Besides, it was back _then_. There are some things you just can't get through sober. I learned that the hard way."

 **※**

 **Mystic Grill**

"Thank you for meeting with me, mayor." Rebekah said politely to the woman sitting across from her. "I figured as Head of the Preservation Society, you'd be a good person to ask about the oldest trees in the community."

Carol Lockwood smiled. "A long line of Lockwood women used to keep those records back before any of them had actual jobs."

Rebekah laughed and continued, "I've been to the Founders Archive, but I can't seem to find any record of the tree I'm looking for."

"It...probably got cut down," The mayor stated, lifting the mug to her lips. "Big old trees built half this town in the 1900s."

Rebekah's attention was dragged away from the mayor as she heard an unpleasantly familiar voice declare, "Hooo...she-devil, 9-o'clock."

She looked up towards the entrance where, sure enough, Damon and Stefan Salvatore were strolling into the Grill. She immediately looked around them, searching for the Salvatore she tolerated most. He entered a few seconds later, seemingly distracted, as he was murmuring something on his phone. She took the time to inspect him. He was wearing a dark denim jacket with a plain white shirt and black jeans that fit his long legs _very_ nicely. Sebastian glanced up and caught her eye. He smiled and waved at her. Her lips curved up into a smile that she returned as she gazed at him from underneath her lashes. He soon followed his brothers to the bar, however, and Rebekah was forced to pull her attention back to the conversation she was having.

"Do you happen to know who kept the milling ledgers during that period?"

Carol replied, "Back then, all the logging mills were owned by the Salvatores."

Rebekah stared at the mayor and slowly raised her chin, turning her head to look towards the three brothers at the bar. She nodded, and returned her attention back to the mayor briefly.

"Thank you so much for your help, Mayor Lockwood." She quickly ended the conversation, standing up to shake Carol's hand, and as soon as the mayor turned away, Rebekah made her way towards the bar.

As she approached the three brothers, Rebekah heard Damon say sarcastically, "I mean, hey, if you gotta slaughter council members, go A-list. At least in 1912, they killed a Salvatore."

"Which Salvatore would that be?"

Damon and Stefan turned to see her standing behind them. Sebastian offered her a glass, which she took as she leaned against the bar counter. Rebekah was amused to see his brothers give him looks of slight betrayal.

"Zachariah Salvatore." Sebastian answered, pouring her a drink before filling his own glass. "Our nephew."

"Our father knocked up one of the maids during the Civil War. She had a son. But as far as anyone knew, Stefan and I were dead. And Sebastian, of course. Family name had to go somewhere." Damon shook his bottle, wiggling his eyebrows before taking a sip.

Rebekah leaned closer to them. "And, uh, your family owned the logging mills back then."

They all turned their heads to look at her. Sebastian nodded, though he looked confused as to why she was asking.

"You're full of a lotttt of questions." Damon dragged out, examining her suspiciously.

She shrugged. "I'm just researching the town history. I grew up here, after all."

Damon smirked. "You know, you don't have to disguise your true motives, Blondie Bex. If you want sex, just ask for it."

Stefan groaned quietly as Rebekah scoffed. "With _you_? Not with enough liquor in the world. Your _brother_ , on the other hand..."

"Oh, _come_ on. I'm good! No need for you to be this hostile...did you say brother?" Damon snorted. "Still hung up over Stefan?"

Stefan, who seemed to have had enough, straightened and grabbed the bottle of alcohol, walking around Damon to sit down on his other side, leaving Sebastian alone between the two.

"Stefan?" Rebekah rolled her eyes. " _Please_. He was good, but not _that_ good."

She shifted her gaze and smirked at Sebastian, who had poured himself a drink. Something about him just made her want to tease him relentlessly.

"I meant your _other_ brother."

Sebastian's hand froze from where it was currently bringing the glass to his lips. He avoided Rebekah's gaze, his cheeks beginning to turn pink.

"So they ever catch the killer?" Rebekah scooted closer, and her lips twitched up in amusement as she heard Sebastian's heartbeat speed up. How adorable.

"Nope. Wrote it all off on vampires."

"Maybe it was a vampire." Rebekah raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Damon." Stefan eyed Damon. "Maybe it _was_ a vampire."

Damon sneered, "Don't think for a second you didn't cross my mind too, brother. But these murders weren't your style, were they? Plus there were no other vampires circulating then."

Stefan looked away and replied carelessly, "Well, there was one other vampire."

He twisted his head back towards Damon and gave his brother a pointed look. "Remember Sage?"

"Ohhhh, right...Sage." Damon's lips twisted downwards as if to say 'not bad' and lifted his bottle to drink. "Speaking of sex. Oof."

"I knew a Sage once." Rebekah lifted her chin and declared, "Trashy little thing."

"Sage?" Sebastian frowned. "Now why does that name seem familia—"

He swallowed and suddenly stopped talking, instead choosing to study his bottle of liquor deeply as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

Damon eyed his brother and, seeing that Sebastian didn't seem to have any interest in elaborating, rolled his eyes. "Well now, don't stop there. Go on...how do you know a Sage?"

"Nahh..." Sebastian drawled, waving a hand in the air. "Was probably nothing."

Damon narrowed his eyes at his brother but didn't press the topic any further. He instead asked Stefan, "You really think it was Sage who was killing all those Founders back then?"

"Town questioned every grown man in Mystic Falls." Stefan stated. "Probably never occurred to them that a woman could have done it."

Damon got out of his seat and walked towards the dartboard, picking up a couple darts. Sebastian and Stefan followed him over, Stefan taking a seat while Sebastian leaned against the wall where the dartboard hung. Rebekah copied him, standing on the other side.

"So..." Damon said lightly. "Let's just say Sage was killing everyone in 1912."

He let the dart fly and it hit the bullseye. He immediately picked up another one and aimed. "Who the hell is doing it now?"

"It's not that psycho, Dr. Fell." Damon continued. "She's a woman. There's no way she could stab three grown men."

Rebekah glanced at Stefan who was holding his head with one hand. His blood craving must be stronger than ever. When Damon let his second dart fly, she caught it and turned her head triumphantly to look at Damon with slight disdain. "That's a bit sexist. A woman could easily kill a man...with the right motivation."

She walked right in front of Damon, staring at him challengingly.

Stefan remarked sardonically, "You just uh, don't give up, do you?"

"Why are you so grumpy?" Rebekah shot back, taking a few steps toward him.

"He's on a master cleanse." Damon answered. "Trying to be a better man and all."

"Stefan...if you're having trouble controlling your thirst, perhaps you should go hunt." Sebastian said with a worried tone, pushing off the wall and walking over to his younger brother. He placed hand on Stefan's shoulder, looking at him with a concerned gaze.

Rebekah sighed, "You know, you were a lot more fun in the twenties."

Damon _tsk_ ed, making his way over to his two brothers, elbowing Rebekah in the process. "You'll rile him up. He's testy when he's being self righteous."

"I'm not being self-righteous, Damon." Stefan said crossly. "I'm just not interested in slaughtering innocent human beings anymore."

"Oh! Okay." Damon replied sarcastically. He set down his bottle and reached into the bag laying on the table and dug out Stefan's old diary. "Fair enough. You _used_ to be self-righteous."

He flipped open the diary and began to read in a dramatic tone, "'Dear diary, Damon has lost his way. Though I have pulled my own life together, he continues to waste his.'"

"Ouch." Rebekah said, although she was extremely amused by now. Sebastian looked like he was completely done with his two brothers, as he was now shaking his head in resignation. She snatched the diary from Damon and read aloud herself, perhaps even more dramatically than Damon had. "'His bitterness consumes him. He is nothing but _blackness_ and _bile_.' _Oof_. Judgey."

She closed the diary and handed it back to Damon, saying, "You know, you don't seem like much fun either, Damon. Sebastian's the only one who's the slightest bit interesting."

Sebastian tipped his bottle towards her. "That's what I've been telling them, but they just continue to mope over the doppelgänger."

Stefan had begun to tap his ring against the table, and if Rebekah was being honest, it was possibly the most annoying sound she had ever heard. And she knew what Damon's voice sounded like.

"You're doing it again." Damon accused, clearly fed up.

Stefan jumped out of his seat and began to put on his jacket. "All right, you know what? I gotta get out of here."

"Sure." Damon said flippantly. "First, admit you're jonesing."

"Damon, I'm not gonna—"

Damon flashed over and grabbed his brother by the lapels of his jacket.

"Admit it." He growled in a low voice.

"Ok, fine." Stefan gripped Damon furiously by the arms and snarled, "I'm freaking out. I'm ready to eat the entire wait staff. Why do you need to hear me say it?"

"Because I'm feeling a little self-righteous too."

"Guys!" Sebastian pushed the two of the apart, hard enough to make both of them stumble back a few steps. "Cut it out."

Stefan glared at Damon for a moment longer before pushing both his brothers aside to exit the Grill from the side door. Sebastian sighed and punched Damon lightly in the shoulder. "Come on, Damon. Do you always have to do that to him? You know how you two get when you fight."

Damon glanced at Sebastian before following Stefan. Rebekah exchanged looks with Sebastian, who shrugged and did the same, motioning for her to follow. She walked up next to him as they exited the restaurant and asked, "So he doesn't want to drink human blood?"

Sebastian shoved his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched up. "I don't know my brother as well as Damon does now, since we've been apart for a century and a half, but from hearing stories from their past, I assume Stefan is the more moral one. He wanted to be a doctor, and probably still holds to some of those ideals, as do I."

"But _you_ drink human blood."

Sebastian nodded. "Yes, but that's because I know I can control myself. Elijah taught me well."

Rebekah's lips turned up into a wry grin. She quite liked the idea of Sebastian being friends with Elijah. Heaven forbid that Elijah be alone forever as a stuck-up, suit-wearing bore. Elijah seemed to have done right by Sebastian, unlike the whole Marcellus disaster.

"I suppose Stefan's conscience is stopping him from drinking." Sebastian continued. "He doesn't want to fall off the wagon again."

"Funny." Rebekah replied. "When I knew him in the twenties he didn't have any conscience at all. It's one of the things I liked most about him."

"Really?" Sebastian turned to give her a funny look, and asked carefully, "So...you and Stefan?"

"Oh, don't worry." Rebekah smirked. "The little thing I had with Stefan all those years back means nothing now. Besides, he's in love with _Elena_ now. I'm completely available, darling."

She winked at him, and a satisfied feeling rose up inside her when she saw his cheeks flush.

"You two." Damon commanded, stopping at the end of the block and waving a hand at them both. "The idiot's determined to live his life according to these two stupid extremes. I need your help for this."

"What do you want us to do?" Sebastian asked warily. "Don't try anything funny, Damon."

"Oh, please brother." Damon scoffed. "Have you ever known me to do things _against_ your wishes?"

"Yes." Sebastian retorted without hesitation. Rebekah snickered as Damon pretended to give his brother an insulted look, but his attention was dragged elsewhere. Rebekah noticed a woman with curly blonde hair getting out of her car and walking down the same alleyway Stefan was currently headed down. The look on Damon's face probably didn't bode well for Stefan.

Immediately, Damon flashed in front of the woman and smiled seductively down at her. "Hello."

"Hi." The woman replied flirtatiously, blatantly checking him out.

"This may seem very forward, but you're just so pretty."

"Thank you." She giggled.

Damon compelled, "And please don't scream. You're about to have a very, very bad night."

He bared his teeth, revealing his fangs, and grabbed on to her to bite down into her neck. Sure enough, the woman didn't make a single sound as Damon began to drink from her neck.

Rebekah glanced over at Stefan, who had frozen in place. He whirled around and flashed towards Damon, forcibly throwing his brother off of the woman. "Stop! Stop it!"

Rebekah caught the woman in her arms and looked over at Sebastian. If anyone was going to cause trouble to the plan, he'd be the most likely to. He seemed concerned, eyes flickering over the woman's wound, but otherwise didn't make a move to stop them.

"Sorry brother." Damon wiped away some blood on his mouth with his hand. "It's dinnertime. Have a bite."

"What are you doing?" Stefan demanded incredulously.

"Tough love, Stefan. You're not gonna survive this cold-turkey thing. You never do. It's time to get that monkey off your back."

Stefan looked desperately to his other brother for help. "Sebastian!"

"Stefan, even _I_ drink human blood!" Sebastian exclaimed, spreading his hands. "It's just all about _control_ , brother. Once you master that, you'll be good! What you're doing right now, it's not working! Trust me, Stefan. If not Damon, at least trust _me."_

 _"_ Hey." Damon said indignantly.

"Shut up, you imbecile."

Damon looked extremely offended and he directed his gaze towards Rebekah. "He insulted me."

She tried to hold back her laugh, but a snicker escaped.

"Feed." Damon ordered, focusing back on the situation at hand. "Or I'll let Rebekah have her way with her. You know she'll kill her."

"Oh, I will." Rebekah breathed, tilting her head. This night was getting exciting.

"Then her blood'll be on your hands. Or you can just have a little drink, save her life. Come on, Stefan."

Stefan looked again at his second oldest brother, who looked conflicted the ultimatum Damon had just offered, but still didn't make a move to stop them.

"You were the one who said you didn't want any more innocent life slaughtered." Damon pointed out.

Stefan growled, "You wouldn't do this in front of Sebastian."

"Does he look like he's gonna stop us?" Damon shrugged, gesturing at their brother, who was standing off to the side with a disapproving look on his face. Damon scowled. "Except for that...look he's giving me. Don't do that. It never makes me feel good."

"Stefan." Sebastian said gently, pushing Damon out of the way. "You _need_ to feed. Come on. I won't let her die, but at least take a drink."

Stefan stared at his brother, who took the woman from Rebekah's arms and pushed her towards him.

" _Feed_."

Stefan's gaze fixed onto the woman's neck, entranced, as her blood dripped down the side of her neck. He growled, veins appearing beneath his eyes, and yet he still seemed to be struggling with himself. But Sebastian placed a hand on Stefan's shoulders and lightly pushed the woman into his arms, and Stefan stopped struggling then, instead burying his teeth in the woman's neck as he began to drink.

After a few long moments, he began to drain her further without any sign of stopping, so Damon shoved him and told him to stop. However, it seemed Stefan had spiraled out of control and Damon's warning only caused him to dig in deeper. Sebastian immediately tore his younger brother off the woman, holding him back as Damon gently rested the woman on the ground to feed his blood to her. Stefan was gasping, breathing heavily as his bloodlust slowly began to subside.

Damon's gaze slid towards the Original. "We got it from here, Rebekah."

She raised her hands in disbelief. "The night's just getting started!"

"Nobody likes a lurker." Damon snapped. " _Scram_."

"Damon." Sebastian warned. "Take it easy."

"You're a real ass, you know," Rebekah retorted at Damon, shooting him an annoyed glance.

He didn't even look at her as he remarked, "So I've been told."

God, he was such a _dick_. Rebekah rolled her eyes and flashed away.

"Rebekah!"

She turned, to see that Sebastian had followed her. " _What_?"

He offered her an apologetic smile and said lightly, "Listen, sorry about Damon. He's not the best company at times. I don't think he was up for much fun tonight."

Rebekah's annoyance subsided. Somehow she simply couldn't stay mad when he flashed that annoyingly pretty crooked smile at her.

"You seemed okay with Damon's plan. I was surprised." She admitted. "Elijah put you on quite the pedestal. I thought you would object."

Sebastian laughed. "Elijah thinks too highly of me. I'm capable of a lot of things, but this was quite minor. Damon's just trying to help Stefan out in his own...twisted way. He wouldn't have let that woman get hurt or die. She's not going to remember a thing."

"Well anyway neither of them were any fun tonight." She angled her head in question. "What about you?"

"Hm?"

"The night's just getting started." Rebekah repeated. "Want to do something fun together?"

Sebastian looked hesitant as he glanced backwards towards where he had left his brothers. "I would love to, but it's just...Stefan's struggling...I should be there for him."

Rebekah nodded, though she was slightly disappointed. "Maybe next time, then."

"Next time." He grinned at her. He held up a hand in goodbye and sped back towards his brothers. Had she not been a vampire, she would have missed the way his eyes swept over her before he turned away. _Interesting_.

Rebekah stood there for a moment longer, trying to sort out her thoughts. While his brothers were basically enemies to her family, he was something else entirely. He was also...different from any man she'd ever known. She snapped out of her trance and flashed away. She could think about these things later. For now, she just wanted some entertainment, and standing in the middle of the street at night would definitely not offer her that.

 **※**

 **Salvatore Boarding House**

"Sebastian." Damon muttered to his brother as the door closed behind them. "He's brooding again. Stop him."

"Give him a break." Sebastian sighed, but looked at his younger brother in concern. Stefan was sitting in front of the fire, his chin resting dramatically on his hands.

They stood there for a minute before realizing Stefan would probably waste away in front of the fireplace, which seemed to be his favorite spot these days, if they did nothing.

"They let Ric go." Damon announced, trying to lighten the mood. "Seb and I just got back from the station. Sheriff Forbes says she's out of suspects again but at least he's in the clear."

When Stefan didn't reply, Damon approached him, his expression serious.

"I know it may not seem like it," Damon said. "But you did really well tonight. I mean, before you know it, you're gonna be the _king_ of moderation."

Stefan still didn't say a word.

"Elena will understand." Damon asserted, touching on the topic that would definitely provoke Stefan into saying something.

"Doesn't matter what Elena thinks." Stefan replied gloomily.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Uh-uh. None of that. No more No Humanity Stefan. There's a road called recovery and we are on it."

He smirked proudly and sauntered over to a table where the liquor was, picking up a bottle and inspecting it. Stefan shot up from his seat, turning around and walking towards his eldest brother, demanding, "Why do you even care, huh? The whole brother-bonding thing. Getting Elena to hate you. Why, you feel guilty because you kissed her? Is that it, Damon? Because you can stop. Go back to hating me. It was a lot easier."

"Stef—" Sebastian started.

"No." Stefan whirled around to face his other brother. " _You_ don't get to barge into our lives after nearly _two_ centuries and think you have a _right_ to dictate how I live my life."

Sebastian lifted his chin, sucking in a sharp breath. His words stung.

Damon glowered at his youngest brother. "Can you for one minute actually believe that we're trying to help you?"

"I don't need your help." Stefan pushed past him.

"Don't need—" Damon turned around to look after him, an almost comically bewildered look on his face. "Are you kidding me?! Do you remember what happened last time you said that to me?"

"What are you talking about?"

"1912, Stefan, the last time I convinced you to drink human blood. Remember? You _beheaded_ that woman and completely lost control, slaughtering anyone who even looked at you sideways. The Founders Council killer had nothing on you. By decade's end, they were calling you the Ripper of Monterey. I let you walk away."

Sebastian glanced between the two. They were staring at each other, unfathomable expressions on both their faces.

"I watched you go over the edge, and I didn't do anything to stop you." Damon's head lowered in guilt.

Stefan shook his head slightly, eyes glistening. "You couldn't have."

"Sure, I could have..." Damon paused, staring off into space. "But I just didn't want to."

There was a long pause before Damon lifted his glass, pointing at Stefan determinedly with a finger. "But I want to now."

"Whenever you go too far, I will be there to pull you back." He walked towards Stefan, emphasizing, "Every second, every day. Till you don't need me."

Stefan stared at him, and asked in an almost inaudible whisper, "Why?"

Damon examined his brother's face for a moment and replied simply, "Because you are my _brother._ And despite all our fighting, despite everything that has happened, you're all I got."

Sebastian looked down, an empty feeling in his heart. His brothers were staring at each other silently, and he practically _see_ the bond between them, more powerful and loyal than any he'd seen before. Stronger than how his relationship with the both of them had been all those years ago. And with a terrifying thought, he realized that his place in their lives...it was no longer significant. They had lived over a century without him. They had grieved and had moved on. Coming back and with even the slightest hope that they could return to what they had been before...how foolish he had been.

Sebastian tore his gaze away from the two men and silently made his way up the stairs. Perhaps tomorrow that realization would hurt less.

 **※**

 **Wickery Bridge**

Rebekah nodded, listening attentively to Carol Lockwood, who was explaining to her the history of trees in Mystic Falls. Or at least, she appeared to be listening attentively. It was quite useless, personally. She simply needed to know where the last white oak tree was, from the drawing in the cavern she had noticed the other day. She hadn't been able to get anything out of the Salvatores the day before. However, the mayor didn't seem to know anything either, and Rebekah was slowly beginning to realize that the only way to find the tree was through the Salvatores. She didn't trust Sebastian just quite yet, but he was the only one who would most likely be willing to share the information with her, being Elijah's friend and all. Unfortunately, from what Elijah had told her, Sebastian had left Mystic Falls and was killed and turned soon after, and he had never returned. He wouldn't know much about the milling ledgers then. The only way he would be able to help her was if she told him outright what she needed, and she just simply couldn't trust him with what he wanted fully yet.

Rebekah's attention from her conversation with the mayor was once again drawn elsewhere, when she saw Damon, Sebastian, Alaric, and Meredith strolling towards Wickery Bridge in her direction, where dozens of people were milling around, several in red construction hats, observing the remodeling that was going on. Mayor Lockwood was there, as were several reporters. There was a small stage with two large posters propped up. No doubt the mayor was planning on giving a speech in a bit.

"Alaric!" The mayor said a quick goodbye to Rebekah and walked purposely towards the four. "I'm glad you're here! Did you bring the sign?"

Rebekah turned away, not before casting a glance at Sebastian, who grinned at her. She shifted her hair to hide her smile.

Alaric gave the mayor a confused look and she elaborated slowly, "The restored Wickery Bridge sign...The history department promised me you would have it today!"

Alaric groaned and closed his eyes, apologizing, "No, I don't have the sign, actually. It slip...slipped my mind. I've been...busy."

"Well it's not an emergency." Carol said, shaking her head and smiling, but she was clearly slightly disappointed. "We'll just, um, unveil it when the bridge is complete."

"Get me out of here." Alaric muttered to Meredith. She replied, "My _pleasure_."

"I'm going to stick around for a bit." Damon announced, his gaze falling on a red-haired figure standing far away. "Come on, Sebastian. There's someone I'd like for you to meet."

Sebastian, who had been distracted and was looking around at the construction, raised his eyebrows but let Damon lead him towards the woman. Rebekah's gaze followed the two, and she narrowed her eyes when she recognized the woman Damon and Sebastian were walking towards. _Sage_. The trashy whore was back in Mystic Falls, no doubt looking for Rebekah's brother, Finn, who most likely had forgotten about her anyway.

"Oh..no..." Rebekah heard Sebastian mutter. Something was clearly bothering him. "Ah, Damon, I think maybe I should just...go back. I've a lot of...things...to do."

Damon scoffed, "Like what? Asking Stefan how to groom hero hair? Trust me, your hair is _per_ fect. Don't let it grow any longer or I'll shave you bald in your sleep."

Sebastian slyly tried to turn away, but Damon's hand shot out and gripped his brother's arm with a vice-like grip as he began dragging him towards Sage. When they got closer, Damon smirked at her, while Sebastian seemed to be hiding his face somehow, looking anywhere but at the woman. Rebekah frowned in confusion.

"Damon Salvatore." Sage smiled smugly. "My favorite student."

"Sage..." Damon drawled. "My hottest teacher. What are you doing here?"

"I'm just passing through." Sage shrugged. Her gaze fell on Sebastian who was staring off into space, pretending as if she wasn't there. "You...I recognize you."

Sebastian laughed uncomfortably. "You...you do? I don't seem to—"

"I remember!" Sage began to chuckle. "You were a _cute_ one _._ "

Damon looked at his brother in surprise and suspicion. " _Really._ "

She stepped closer, _too_ close, to Sebastian, and slid a hand up his chest, pushing away one section of his jacket to do so. Sage tilted her head and smirked at him. "Surely you remember me?"

"I-ah-" Sebastian seemed to be at a loss for words. His gaze was flickering everywhere, and he was stammering incoherently.

Rebekah's eyes narrowed even further and stalked towards the three vampires. She wasn't going to let the trashy little bitch ruin the one Salvatore she actually somewhat liked.

Sage threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, I _definitely_ remember you!"

Her other hand reached up to his collar and she yanked him even closer, lips brushing his cheek as she murmured in his ear, " _Sebastian_...was it?"

"How do you know my brother?" Damon questioned, obviously confused.

Sage leaned away and stared at Damon. " _Brother_?"

"Yes." Damon snorted. "He's my brother. Sebastian Salvatore."

Sage eyed him curiously for a second before her lips began to turn up in a smirk again. She glanced back at Sebastian, who was barely breathing and was looking down at where she had her hands on him.

"That's right...I didn't quite catch your last name that other time. We were interrupted by your little friend. Pity. Maybe we can now continue where we last left off—"

"Look what the cat dragged in." Rebekah observed, finally sauntering up to the three. She tilted her head casually.

Damon snapped out of his confusion.

" _Easy_ there, Rebekah." Damon cautioned. He brushed Sage's hands off his brother and gestured emphatically at her. "You know, she used to beat men up for _sport_."

"She always was quite common." Rebekah responded, unsurprised. "Letting her feel up your brother in front of your face, Damon? There's a new low you've stooped to."

"Rebekah." Sage's expression darkened but a fake smile was kept plastered on her face. "What a happy surprise."

Rebekah angled her head and lifted her chin, questioning, "What are you doing here, Sage?"

"Well I heard Finn was finally freed from that casket your rageaholic brother Klaus carted him around in."

"Finn?" Damon asked, looking at his mentor in confusion.

Sage nodded. "He's the one who turned me. Nearly 900 years ago. We were in love, before I lost him when Klaus daggered him. I haven't seen him since."

Rebekah sighed smugly. "Oh, Finn. You just missed him. He left town and didn't tell a soul where he was going."

Sage hummed to herself. "Oh. He probably went looking for me."

Rebekah chuckled, shaking her head. How foolish. "Or, quite possibly, he forgot all about you."

"I doubt that." Sage's lips turned up into a knowing smile.

"Oh?" Rebekah leaned closer, enjoying taunting Sage more than she should. "Because he didn't seem to mention you. Sorry you came all this way for nothing. Have a nice life. Sebastian, could I talk to you for a second?"

He nodded, a little too enthusiastically, and made his escape from Sage's clutches to follow Rebekah away from the two.

 **※**

"God, I hate that ugly elitist Original _bitch_." Sage sneered. She sighed, and flicked a hand at Damon. "Follow me."

As they strolled into the woods, Damon asked curiously, "So how do you know my brother exactly?"

Sage lifted her chin and grinned delightedly. "Ah...Sebastian. It was France, I believe. 1950. I had just drained a human...and I can still remember the taste, actually. It was quite exquisite, though I've had far better since. I was making my way back towards my favorite club and I saw him come out of it, most likely for a breath of fresh air. He was _beautiful_...especially so since I saw him right after my bloodlust. He must have seen the remnants of blood on me and you know...the first thing that he did was ask if I was okay. Didn't even question the fact that I could be a vampire. Once he handed me a handkerchief, I knew I had to have him."

"Oh, oh, oh, _oh_." Damon held up a hand to stop her, his nose scrunched up in disgust. "I do _not_ want to know what you might have done with my brother. _Ugh_. Gross."

Sage snickered. "Don't worry. I didn't have the chance. But I was about to do the most delightful things to him. I had him pressed up against the wall of the alleyway, one of my legs between his—"

Damon pretended to vomit.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "And then his little companion bitch interrupted us and took him away. I was furious. Really. He looked like so much fun to play with."

Sage raised an eyebrow and glanced at Damon and asked, "Why are you so riled up? You've heard far worse in your time on this earth."

"Yeah, but this is my brother. I still remember him as my little brother from a century and a half ago." Damon was still massively disgusted. "Sebastian's different from Stefan too. He was always shy around girls he liked when he was younger, as well as those who blatantly pursued him. And he was _ever_ so polite, I hated it. Our mother taught him to always be polite to girls. He always had been our parents' favorite."

He snorted. "I still don't know why so many girls just fell at his feet. I mean, obviously, his looks help but it's so annoying. He never took advantage of it either, which makes me really mad. So it's just hard to imagine him in the...scenario you just described."

Sage chuckled. "Interesting."

Damon scoffed, "But what about you?...Finn? Really? Out of everyone in the world, _that_ 's the man you choose?"

"He's my one true love." Sage said warmly. "He turned me so we could be together forever."

"Then Klaus daggered and locked him away and I've been waiting ever since." She glowered at the ground. "Please don't tell me that you and Rebekah are friends."

Damon scrunched up his nose. "Nah."

Sage declared, "Good. Her and Klaus always treated me like some peasant whore."

"Ah, she's just lurking around because she wants something from me." Damon stopped walking and turned around to face her, although he was staring off into space distractedly. "I can't figure out what it is, though."

Sage inspected Damon and smirked. "Why don't you get inside her head and find out?"

"Because it's impossible." Damon dismissed. "She's too strong."

"I bet I can get in there." She challenged.

"Sage, she's an Original. It's not gonna happen." Damon said scornfully.

Sage shook her head, disappointed. "Have you forgotten everything I taught you? Rebekah may be an Original, but she's a girl. You find her weakness and exploit it. And I'll walk right in. That is...if you want my help."

"How am I supposed to do that when I'm seventy percent sure the only Salvatore she would even consider sleeping with is Sebastian?"

Sage waved a hand and began to walk back in the direction towards the construction site. "She's lonely. She's been alone for centuries, with only brief periods of romance, I'd imagine, if the rumors of Klaus destroying every chance at love she gets are true. It's not hard to get into her head and make her think you like her."

Damon's eyes narrowed and as he walked back with Sage, began to formulate a plan. Well...a quite simple one actually. One that only required some alcohol, music, and of course, his magnificent body.

He found Rebekah standing at the refreshments table, her fingers trailing over the red tablecloth. Damon glanced around. Sebastian was nowhere to be seen. Excellent. He knew his brother would immediately see that his intentions were far from pure and would probably voice his disapproval. Sebastian's looks of disappointment always had been able to strike guilt inside Damon, when nothing else could. Even after a century and a half, Damon was certain nothing had changed there, especially after the events of the previous night.

"Anyone tell you you're sexy when you're bitchy?" Damon approached Rebekah, standing right behind her.

Rebekah scoffed, "We're talking now, are we? Because you were quite rude the other day. Using me to help you with Stefan, and then shooing me away like a stray dog."

Damon groaned, "Ah, but that was brother business. You can't hold that against me. Besides, I really did appreciate your help. Even if I didn't show it."

"You were mean." Rebekah remarked, inspecting the pitchers filled with lemonade.

"You _like_ mean." Damon retorted.

Rebekah turned to face him and shot back, " _No._ I don't."

"No?" Damon raised his eyebrows. "You didn't get a thrill back there pushing Sage down, crushing her dreams of true love?"

Rebekah thought about it before replying, "Maybe a little."

"See?" Damon pointed out. "Mean."

He continued, "Can Sage and I interest you in a drink back at the house?"

"Not a chance in _hell_." Rebekah emphasized, leaning close to him to make her point.

Damon dismissed her refusal. "Well you know what they say. Two's company...three's a party."

He gazed at her for a long moment, eyes trailing down her face seductively, before sighing and looking away. "Ok. Fine."

Damon leaned next to her as he placed his glass down on the table, and when he came back up, he let his hand brush gently along Rebekah's hip. He stopped when his face was level with hers and murmured in her ear, "Enjoy the rest of your day."

He turned away and smirked. The expression on her face had been priceless. She'd swallowed his bait hook, line, and sinker.

 **※**

 **Bennett House**

Bonnie wiped her hands with the dishcloth and closed the dishwasher and turned around to lean against the counter, propping herself up with her elbows. She closed her eyes and dropped her chin, just taking a moment to get a hold of herself. The last couple of days had been terrible, and she really needed to get over the emotional wreck she was in right now or she would never be able to help her mother. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the doorbell rang. Bonnie sighed and pushed off the counter, walking towards the front door. When she opened the door, she cocked her head in confusion at the unfamiliar figure at the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Bonnie Bennett, is it?" The guy, who looked to be about her age, held out a hand to her, a friendly smile on his face. "Sebastian Salvatore. I suspect you've heard about me?"

Bonnie's eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms, and replied in a somewhat hostile tone, "Yeah. You're the guy who stood around and did nothing as my mother was killed and turned."

"...That's one way of putting it." He sounded slightly embarrassed as he retracted his arm. "I've come to offer my condolences, and to check up on how you...and your mother are doing."

She scoffed, "And what possible reason would motivate you to do that? You don't know me... _or_ my mother. I don't quite have the patience to deal with Salvatores right now, so if you wouldn't mind."

Bonnie began to close the door, but Sebastian stuck a foot out the stop the door from closing. He interjected, "On the contrary, Bonnie, I do know you. And your mother, for that matter...I know her quite well."

Her hand stilled on the doorknob, and Bonnie stared down at his foot...part of which was currently _inside_ the house. Without invitation. She raised a hand immediately and twisted it, and when he only flinched but remained otherwise unaffected from her magic, she stepped backwards in fear. She had never seen a vampire able to resist the aneurysm spell to this extent before.

"Bonnie?"

She whipped her head around to see Abby walking slowly towards her.

"Who's at the door?"

Bonnie opened her mouth but was unable to find anything to say. Instead, she just looked back towards Sebastian Salvatore, who had stepped into the house but didn't make another move. Bonnie was stunned when Abby pressed her hands to her mouth and gasped, "Sebastian?"

Sebastian leaned an arm on the doorway and his lips turned up into a small smile. "Hello, little one."

Abby dropped her hand and ran towards Sebastian, flinging her arms around him as if she couldn't believe he was actually standing there in front of her. Bonnie's eyes widened, and at this point, she was _extremely_ confused. She shook her head vigorously and held her hands up, demanding, "Abby... _what_ is going on?"

Abby let go of Sebastian, still gazing up at him with a joyful look that Bonnie had never seen before. It took a moment before her mother tore her eyes away from the unfamiliar Salvatore in front of her and looked at Bonnie.

Abby dragged Sebastian towards Bonnie and said excitedly, "Bonnie, I'd like you to meet Sebastian Salvatore."

"I figured that's what his name was." Bonnie folded her arms again and narrowed her eyes. "That doesn't explain why you just hugged him like he was a long lost friend."

Abby grinned. "That's because he is. I knew him when I was a child. He was very good friends with my mother, and her mother before that."

Bonnie's eyes widened in shock, but she quickly got over it and folded her arms.

"Well if he's such a good friend," Bonnie stepped closer and snapped, "Then how come he did nothing as his brother _turned_ you?"

She was slightly surprised to see the guilt in the Salvatore's eyes.

Abby looked down at her feet and swallowed. "Bonnie...our history with Sebastian...it's a long and complicated one with secrets and promises that stretch back decades."

Sebastian placed a hand on Abby's arm and interrupted her. "Believe me, Bonnie Bennett, I would have done anything to save your mother, but there was simply no alternative. I went through _every_ possible scenario and in every single one, someone ended up _dead_. Not turned. Dead. Did you really want the consequences to be the death of your friend, Elena Gilbert? Or someone else?"

Bonnie opened her mouth but closed it, unable to reply.

"There is a balance that rests between myself and Elijah Mikaelson, and I believe soon that will stretch to the rest of his siblings as well. I am also simply not strong enough to go up against an ancient witch who has a _thousand_ years' worth of knowledge. Nor am I strong enough to go against the Mikaelsons even if I wanted to." Sebastian looked tired, as if the decision to allow what had happened to her mother had drained him of his energy.

Abby rested a hand on Bonnie's shoulder and urged, "Bonnie, he has a strong connection to our line. Yes, in becoming a vampire I have lost everything I ever had and it _hurts_... _so_ badly it pains me even to think of it. However, Sebastian has done nothing but good for our family. He owes us nothing and yet has asked for nothing as he has protected our family for three generations. _He_ is the reason you are alive today."

"H...how?" Bonnie asked, staring wide-eyed at her mother and Sebastian. "How come Grams never mentioned a thing about him? How come he didn't save _her_ , then?"

Abby and Sebastian exchanged looks. He turned his gaze back on Bonnie. It was curiously forlorn, but she could tell he was trying to hide it with a smile.

"That, little witch, is a tale for another time. I simply came over here to talk to your mother. I'd hoped that I could do something about what she's going through."

Bonnie nodded reluctantly but stepped aside as Abby led Sebastian further into the house. Her mind was swirling with questions, and yet somehow, the fear from their meeting had faded and strangely...she felt safe. It was a warm feeling and was faintly familiar...almost as if she had met him before.

 **※**

 **Salvatore Boarding House**

It was night by the time Sebastian returned to the house, having spent the entirety of the day with Abby Bennett. He could see how much the transition had hurt her, and to see her magic ripped away so cruelly from her was heartbreaking. The conflict inside him had only grown stronger after spending the day with Abby. While he was relieved his oldest friend had survived Esther's spell, seeing the woman he had known when she was a mere baby suffer didn't sit well with him.

He entered the house, shutting the door behind him. He arched an eyebrow when he saw his older brother, piss drunk, sprawled out over the leather sofa.

"Sebastian!" Damon exclaimed, raising a nearly empty bottle. "Join me, brother!"

"What's wrong with you now?" Sebastian sighed, taking off his coat and flinging it over an armchair. He shook his head in disapproval as he noticed three empty bottles of liquor lying on the ground.

Damon stumbled to his feet and swayed. "Just trying to numb the feeling of defeat, Seb!"

"Did the doppelgänger reject your advances?" Sebastian rolled his eyes. "I keep telling you and Stefan she's not worth it. She'll just die anyways and you'll simply continue your eternal existence, fall in love again, move on."

"Nahh..." Damon slurred. " _This_ defeat is a life and death one. Well. Death. Since I'm pretty sure we're all going to die."

"What's _wrong_ , Damon?" Sebastian snatched the fourth bottle from Damon's hand, ignoring his brother's cry of protest.

"You know the Wickery Bridge?"

Sebastian replied, "What about it?"

"It was constructed with _white oak._ "

Sebastian froze, shooting his brother a disbelieving look. "What did you say?"

He knew what white oak meant to Elijah and his family. It was the only thing in existence that could kill an Original. However, he'd assumed that the Mikaelsons had eliminated any trace of it.

Damon nodded, stumbling back and flopping onto the sofa again.

"Turns out the last white oak tree was used to construct the Wickery Bridge and all that wood they'd been stripping from underneath the bridge was white oak...all of which could kill Originals."

He stared off into the fire hollowly.

"How did you find out?" Sebastian asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Sage used dream manipulation to discover what Rebekah was lurking around us for. But she also found out they were all linked and, of course, to save her one true love, told Rebekah, who burned all of it to the ground. It's gone now."

Sebastian gazed at his brother skeptically. "Rebekah Mikaelson is one of the most powerful beings in existence. How did Sage do it?"

"That part was all me!" Damon waved his hands enthusiastically. "Tricked Blondie Bex into sleeping with me. Honestly, I can't believe she thought I liked her."

Sebastian's eyes darkened. "You tricked Rebekah by doing _what_?"

"Ah! Sex. Dirty dancing. You know...when—"

Before he could finish, Sebastian flashed over and hauled Damon up by the collar. He growled, " _Repeat that one more time_."

Damon was clearly confused by Sebastian's outburst but drawled, "What? She's a fragile little thing, really. Her brother's been denying her the chance to have a proper relationship for centuries now. It was all too easy t—"

Sebastian slammed a fist across Damon's face, and the oldest Salvatore hit the ground with a sickening crack as his jaw fractured, along with his elbow which had hit the floor.

"Damn it!" Damon hissed, snapping out of his drunken stupor. "What's _your_ problem?"

"Playing with someone's emotions like that?" Sebastian snapped. "I knew you were capable of cruelty, but this is a new low."

"I've been alive for a century, Seb." Damon scoffed. "It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that I would use my charms to my own advantage. I've _murdered_ before. So has Stefan. We have _rivers_ of blood on our hands brother. What were you expecting? That we would remain chivalrous and honest men? That we would still have that childish innocence from a hundred years ago? That died when _you did,_ brother!"

Sebastian lifted his chin and looked down at his brother in disdain. "Oh, if only Mother could see you now."

"What did you just say?" Damon's voice filled with anger. " _Don't_ lecture me on her!"

"Why?" Sebastian mocked. "Too ashamed to think about what she would say if she saw you like this?"

"You still hold onto those silly lessons she taught you when you were ten? News flash, _m_ _ommy's boy_. The _world_ is cruel. That's why she _died_ before you could even grow up. Who cares about morals, huh?! That hope of yours...for us to be perfect little vampires who don't abuse or kill to survive...it's foolish and fucking stupid. Rebekah's just some filth that needs to be wiped away. Along with the rest of her family. Why do you care?"

"Oh, yes. That's right." Damon taunted. "You've been busy being Elijah's _bitch_."

Sebastian started towards him again, anger twisting his handsome face into something else entirely.

"Stop it!" Damon shouted, holding out a hand. "Do you even understand the implications of what this means? The Originals can't be killed now! When Klaus comes after us inevitably, we will have _nothing_ to defend ourselves with! Does the threat of our deaths truly mean so little to you?"

"If you weren't so hell bent on getting on the wrong side of him then maybe you wouldn't have anything to fear!" Sebastian bent down and dragged his older brother to his feet again. He punched him again and again, so hard that the skin over his knuckles split open, blood smearing his hand. "So you were trying to save the doppelgänger? Did you learn _nothing_ from Katherine? And now, this pathetic little girl, who can't even decide between you or Stefan, has caused you to anger the most powerful family that exists!"

" _Don't_ call Elena pathetic!" Damon lashed out, but missed Sebastian's face. "You know nothing about her!"

Sebastian sneered, "Don't I? I know she's just like Katherine. She may be a different person, but I know that _all_ she will do is break your heart... _again_. _You_ are pathetic. How many times have I told y—"

" _YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND_!" Damon roared. "You don't _get_ to lecture me on what I should or should not be doing!"

Sebastian took a deep breath, stepping over Damon and pulling him up. He leaned close so that his nose was inches away from Damon's. "I've watched you, Damon, contrary to what you and Stefan believe. I watched you and I didn't do a thing to help you. And in the process, what did you become? You destroyed your own humanity. You play with your food. You've murdered hundreds. You stop at nothing to get your way. You have no _virtue_. I got tired always of cleaning up after your messes. _Both_ of yours. You let heart shatter countless times because of your foolish love for a woman who played you both and it was _always_ me who picked up the pieces. Whenever you or Stefan were hurt by her, or each other, it was _I_ who put you back together. And in the end, I'm the one who ends up _hurt_ and _alone._ "

"Then maybe you shouldn't have come back." Damon spat. "We were doing just fine without you."

Sebastian flinched and straightened, dropping his older brother back down onto the ground. He didn't like it, that hollow feeling that was seeping into his chest. He didn't like it at all.

It _hurt_.

A long moment passed before Damon seemed to have realized what he had said, and he opened his mouth. "Seb..."

But before he could utter another word, Sebastian flashed out of the house.

Damon was right. Perhaps he shouldn't have come back. He obviously no longer had a place in his brothers' lives. All they did was continue to destroy themselves over a girl, letting history repeat itself over and over again. He had been a fool to think that the three of them even had a sliver of a chance to get back what they had all those years ago. The glimmer of hope he had been holding on to from yesterday slipped away completely. There didn't seem to be anything left here for him anymore.

A rush of anger swept through him. Would either of his brothers even hesitate if they had to choose that girl over him? Elijah Mikaelson's family was probably the most dysfunctional family that ever existed, but when push came to shove, his siblings would inevitably back one another up. What had made him truly distressed was that he couldn't even honor the one wish Elijah had asked of him before he left. To know that his own brother had toyed with Rebekah's feelings, especially considering her tragic relationship history, made him ashamed. She deserved _better_.

A few seconds later, he arrived at the Mikaelson Mansion. Despite all its grandeur, there was a lonely feeling to it. He knocked on the door, and when no one answered, he tried the doorknob. The door was unlocked. But of course. Who in their right mind would enter without invitation into the house of the most dangerous family of all time? He clearly wasn't, since he strolled right on in.

The lights were on, shining brightly in a seemingly empty house.

"Rebekah?"

His voice echoed across the halls, and he ascended the staircase carefully. Beautiful portraits hung along the walls, and Sebastian recalled that Elijah had said Klaus painted. He sure did have talent.

The second floor seemed devoid of anyone's presence as well, and he made his way down the long hallway to where he remembered Elijah's room was. Rebekah's couldn't be far away. Sure enough, at the end of the hall, there was a door that was slightly ajar, light spilling out onto the second floor floor. Sebastian pushed it open cautiously. It certainly looked like Rebekah's room, and he could recognize her school backpack on a chair near a large desk.

Before he could observe any further, however, he was thrown across the room from behind, although he fortunately crashed to the ground instead of the wall, which would probably have hurt a lot more, considering the decorations hanging there.

"What are you doing here?" Rebekah snapped. She was glaring down at him, a look of pure rage on her face.

"I just...I just wanted to see if you were alright." Sebastian replied, sitting up, still a little dazed from the impact. "Damon told me what he did..."

She scoffed, "Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"What your _brother_ was up to." She growled. "The tricks he and Sage had planned. I don't like to be played with, _Sebastian."_

"I swear," Sebastian raised his palms. "I didn't know, Rebekah. I would _never_ have allowed Damon to hurt you like that had I known. I promised Elijah I would look after you. I'm sorry."

He got to his feet and repeated again in a quiet voice, "I'm _sorry_."

The anger slipped from Rebekah's face and she looked momentarily vulnerable. "Elijah said that?"

"Of course." Sebastian said. "You're his only sister, Rebekah."

Rebekah flushed and glanced down, a flash of red catching her eye. "What happened to your hands?"

Sebastian hid them behind his back quickly, a guilty expression coming to his face. "I might have...beat Damon up."

"You did that for me?" A small smile graced Rebekah's face.

"I know how it feels when someone plays with your heart like that." Sebastian admitted. "To hear what he did from his own mouth only made it that much worse, especially considering the fact that he's my brother."

"That was sweet of you."

His heart jumped when she stepped closer to him, her gaze never left his as she reached behind him and pulled one of his arms forward. She looked down at the blood on his knuckles, Damon's and his mixed together. Rebekah's fingers ran over the recently dried blood, and had he been able to see, he would have noticed the pleased look on her face.

"Answer me this, though. I just can't seem to wrap my mind around you being willing to risk your relationship with your brothers. After all...you do seem to value family." Rebekah said. "So, Mr. Salvatore. Why...did you attack Damon on my behalf?"

"I told you, Elijah—"

Without warning, Sebastian felt himself being pushed backwards forcefully, and found himself lying on his back on the large king-sized bed.

"Oh, enough about my brother!"

Sebastian looked up at Rebekah, startled, and found himself unable to say anything as she flashed on top of him before he could move off the bed, thighs squeezing his hips so hard he couldn't move and admittedly, it hurt quite a bit.

"W-wha-"

She leaned over him, hands wrenching his wrists up beside his head. A spike of trepidation ran through him, and though his conscious mind knew she probably wouldn't hurt him, being pinned down by a stronger predator sent his survival instincts screaming. Rebekah's hair fell in a golden curtain around his head, and he swallowed, resigning himself to the fact that there was nowhere else to look besides her eyes.

"Turns out Damon was just using me to get what he wanted." She breathed. "But what about you?"

Sebastian was at a loss for words, even more so when he had the time to study her features, his heart fluttering for a completely different reason now. She was _beautiful_. More beautiful than any woman he'd ever seen, even more so than the one who had broken his heart way back then.

"What do you mean?" He managed to get out.

Her eyes narrowed. "Why are you being so nice to me? It can't _possibly_ be just because Elijah asked you to. What do _you_ want from me?"

He opened his mouth and closed it again wordlessly. "Well...I s-suppose it's _not_ just because Elijah asked me to. I mean...I like you. You're a good person."

Rebekah raised her eyebrows. "Most people wouldn't consider an Original to be a _good person_. In fact, most people wouldn't hang around our family without fear of death."

Sebastian was feeling quite bold and responded, "I'm not most people."

She seemed to like his answer, and her lips curved up. "No...no you're not, are you?"

She leaned down further, so close that he could feel her lips ghosting along his. Rebekah's hands finally slipped off his wrists and sank down on the mattress on either side of his head instead. Sebastian hesitantly shifted his arms, slowly allowing one of his hands to drift up towards her cheek while the other came to a rest on her hip.

"Well, well." An unfamiliar voice rang out from the doorway of Rebekah's room. "What's this?"

Sebastian shot up, and unfortunately, didn't budge Rebekah one bit off his lap. She simply shifted, turning her head to see who it was before sighing in frustration. "What have I told you about knocking?"

"Door was wide open, sister."

Horror shot through Sebastian as he realized who was watching them.

 _Klaus Mikaelson._


End file.
